'I Would Have Gotten 20 Years': Serena Williams Addresses Jannik Sinner's Doping Case

Thursday, 17 April 2025 at 14:10

byErik Virostko

Serena Williams recently spoke about Jannik Sinner's three-month suspension after his positive test for a banned substance.

Williams isn't an active tennis player anymore, which is why she doesn't have to talk to the press almost every week. That is also the reason why many of her opinions about the current hot topics in the sport are unknown, but every now and then, the 43-year-old shares her thoughts.

Recently, Serena spoke to Time Magazine after being named on the list of the 100 most influential people in the world. During the interview, she also spoke about the current tennis landscape, and obviously, she couldn't leave out Sinner's doping case.

The Italian player received a three-month suspension, from which he will return at the Italian Open. Speaking about Sinner, Williams said that she supports the ATP World No. 1 player, thinking that he is great for the sport.

"Fantastic personality. I love the guy, I love this game. He’s great for the sport. Men’s tennis needs him."

At the same time, Serena couldn't help but think what would happen if she were in Sinner's shoes. Many spoke about the Italian's punishment being too short, and it seems that the legendary American agrees.

According to Williams, if she had tested positive for a banned substance, she would have received a much longer suspension.

"I’ve been put down so much, I don’t want to bring anyone down. But if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let's be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me. You would have heard about it in another multiverse."

When talking about the doping suspensions, Serena couldn't help but think about one of the most high-profile cases of her days. One of her main rivals, Maria Sharapova, was suspended from the sport in 2016.

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Sharapova's suspension, however, despite being reduced, lasted 15 months, which is five times more than Sinner's suspension. That's why Williams sympathized with the Russian player.

"Just weirdly and oddly, I can't help but think about Maria all this time. I can't help but feel for her."

During the interview, the legendary American also spoke about her current relationship with racket sports. She was seen on the tennis courts a few times, but it seems that Williams is trying out another sport as well.

While many in the United States love playing pickleball, there is another racket sport, padel tennis, which is extremely popular in Europe, and that's the sport the 23-time Grand Slam champion has been playing recently.