'Genuine, Kind Guy': Suspended Sinner Earns Public Backing From Draper
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Jannik Sinner received a lot of support from his friend Jack Draper. The Italian player is currently away from the tennis court because of a three-month suspension.
Sinner found himself in a tricky situation in the past 12 months. He tested positive for a banned substance at the 2025 Indian Wells Open, and almost 12 full months later, he learned the punishment for his positive test.
The Italian player was suspended from competing for three months, and it hasn't been easy for him to find support among his colleagues. Of course, the majority of the criticism was directed at the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), but there were some that also had some not-so-nice words for Sinner.
Testing positive for a banned substance simply creates a controversial situation, which is why not many players spoke about the reigning ATP World No. 1 player recently, with the vast majority wanting to avoid the topic.
They say that hard times reveal true friends, and that has been the case for Sinner as well. His coach spoke about how the 23-year-old maturely handled all the criticism, but he didn't have to hear only criticism.
His good friend, Jack Draper, chose to publicly stand up for his colleague ahead of the 2025 Indian Wells Open. The British player spoke to Sky Sports, and he had only words of praise for Sinner.
Draper said that he believes the three-time Grand Slam champion will return even stronger after his suspension.
"One thing about Jannik is that he will definitely come back stronger. This period and last year has been very difficult for him. I always try and send my support."
Draper admitted that he even privately said to Sinner that he motivates him, which is certainly a great compliment for the Italian player.
"I tell him I’m very inspired by him and all the things he's achieved in the game, and his work ethic. The way he carries himself on and off the court is very impressive."
Draper had only the best words for Sinner, and he admitted that he couldn't wait to see him back on the court again. That should happen at the 2025 Italian Open in Rome.
"Honestly, he's just a genuine, kind guy, and yeah, I think he deserves all the success he's getting, and I look forward to seeing him back on the court."
In Indian Wells, Draper will focus on his own performance. As one of the seeded players, he will start in the second round. He will await the winner of the first-round blockbuster of two youngsters, as Joao Fonseca will take on Jacob Fearnley.
