Swiatek May Not Handle Doping Questions As Well As Sinner Says Former World No. 1

Iga Swiatek will have to cope with being asked about her doping case during the 2025 season. 2003 US Open champion is unsure whether the Pole will deal with that as well as Jannik Sinner.

Swiatek and Sinner are two of the best players in the world. The Pole has won five Grand Slams, including four French Opens, and dominated the WTA No. 1 spot since April 2022 until being overtaken by Aryna Sabalenka in the closing months of the 2024 season.

Sinner's breakthrough 2024 season included winning his first two Grand Slam titles. The Italian beat Daniil Medvedev in five sets to triumph in Melbourne before overcoming Taylor Fritz in a one-sided final.

However, many will remember their respective seasons for the controversy caused by doping scandals. Sinner tested positive for the banned substance clostebol at March's Indian Wells Open.

Although the International Tennis Integrity Agency(ITIA) initially cleared Sinner of wrongdoing, the World Anti-Doping Agency(WADA) appealed the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. A ruling will be reached sometime in 2025.

Swiatek tested positive for trimetazidine from an out-of-competition sample submitted in August. The world No. 2 received a provisional suspension on September 12th, which she appealed ten days later on September 22nd.

Further testing proved Swiatek's explanation that melatonin tablets she bought were contaminated with trimetazidine. That led to the provisional ban being lifted and Swiatek accepting a one-month suspension, most of which she had already served.

Sinner's continued high level after his doping case became public a few days before the US Open has been remarkable. Regardless of one's opinion about the ATP world No. 1's case, no one can deny that he has shown outstanding resilience.

The 23-year-old secured the US Open, ATP Finals, and helped Italy to win back-to-back Davis Cup titles since the case became publicly known to fans, analysts, and fellow players. Observing whether Sinner can continue that at the 2025 Australian Open will be interesting.

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Roddick, who previously stated what Swiatek did should not be considered doping, mentioned on an episode of his podcast that the Pole's more sensitive personality means she might not handle the constant questions she will get about the doping case as well as Sinner.

Swiatek has spoken previously about how introverted she used to be as a teenager. Although the four-time French Open champion is more comfortable in the spotlight than in the past, she still may not be as natural in answering stressful questions about her case as Sinner.

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