Sinner says he thought about quitting before Australian Open: “The players looked at me differently and I didn’t like it”
In an interview with Italian TV shorlly before he returns from a three-month doping ban, the world No 1 said he had not been enjoying his tennis
Jannik Sinner © Joaquin Corchero/AFP7/Shuttersto/SIPA
Jannik Sinner ended the Australian Open on a high as he picked up his third Grand Slam title, further cementing his status as the world No 1.
But in an interview on Tuesday, ahead of his return to the circuit in Rome next week following his three-month doping ban, the Italian admitted he had been in a dark place before the tournament began and had even considered quitting the sport.
“Yes. I remember before the Australian Open this year, I was in a not very happy moment,” Sinner told Italian TV station, Rai 1, as reported by Ubitennis.com.
“In Australia I didn’t feel really comfortable in the locker room or in the restaurant, the players looked at me differently and I didn’t like it at all. There I thought that living tennis in that way was really heavy. I was always one who took tennis jokingly (lightly), I thought I would take some free time after Australia.
“Then it went as it went, I didn’t want it to be like this but in another sense, at that moment it did me good. Three months is too much, but one reason I didn’t play in Rotterdam was just that. I needed a little time, with friends, prioritising people who love me.”
“I built a bubble where no one else came in”
At that stage, his drugs case was still hanging over his head. Having tested positive twice in March 2024 for Clostobol, a banned drug, the anti-doping authorities accepted his explanation that the substance had entered his system accidentally via a cut on his physio’s hand and cleared him through a no-fault ruling. Wada, the World Anti Doping Agency appealed the decision and were pushing for a ban of at least one year but in February, Sinner agreed to a three-month ban, which expires on May 4.
Sinner said the time since he was told he had failed the two drugs tests had been difficult to cope with. Surrounding himself by people he trusted made the difference, he said.
“We always look at the results, but on the court in this time, I didn’t feel as a player should feel,” he said. “I didn’t have fun anymore, I was thinking about other things.
“The luck I had was that the people around me helped me a lot and believed in me, they were a lot to help me in those moments. I’m talking about my team, my family. I built a bubble of mine where no one else came in, this gave me the desire to continue and return and prepare well for the Grand Slams, which last year I played very well. Everything went well, even though I didn’t feel like a happy person on the court.”
“I can’t wait to get back on the court”
Sinner will return on home soil at the Rome Masters next week and said he was looking forward to getting back into competition.
“I’m pretty good,” he said. “Last year was very stressful but we still managed to get incredible results. This year I started well too, then what happened happened. At the beginning it was a bit strange, even off the court, things happened that I did not expect, but slowly I’m going back to the rhythm of real training, training with strong players like (Lorenzo) Sonego to see how I am.
“Sometimes it’s very good, sometimes there’s a drop in my level and I don’t know why. I can’t wait to get back on the court. I miss the adrenaline of the competition, I’m glad this phase is over.”
“Everyone is free to say what they want”
While the likes of Rafael Nadal have expressed confidence that Sinner did not deliberately take any banned substance, some players have suggested that Sinner may have been treated more leniently because of his status as the world No 1.
“Everyone is free to judge and say what they want, but for me it is important that I know what happened and what I went through,” Sinner said.
“It was very difficult, I don’t wish anyone innocent (to go through) something like that. However, we are in a world where everyone can say what they want, so that’s OK.”
