British tennis star Jack Draper has publicly defended world No. 1 Jannik Sinner, who is nearing the end of a three-month doping suspension. Draper emphasized Sinner’s character, stating that the Italian does not deserve the criticism he has received.
Sinner’s Suspension and Return
Sinner accepted a three-month ban in February 2025 after testing positive for clostebol, a banned substance. He attributed the positive test to contamination from a massage treatment provided by a support team member. Despite the suspension, Sinner maintained his world No. 1 ranking and is set to return to competition at the Italian Open in Rome starting May 7.
Draper’s Support
Draper, currently ranked No. 6, has trained with Sinner recently and vouched for his integrity. “I think Jannik is a really genuine, nice person, and on top of that, he’s obviously an unbelievable player,” Draper said. “In this situation, I’m sure that he would have absolutely zero idea of anything. That’s just the way life goes—sometimes there are mistakes.”
He further emphasized, “In terms of how I feel about him as a person, I think it’s important for people to know and recognize that the guy’s very, very kind-hearted and a good human being, so he doesn’t deserve any of the hate that he gets.”
Reactions from the Tennis Community
While Draper has shown support, others in the tennis community have expressed differing opinions. Serena Williams criticized the leniency of Sinner’s punishment, suggesting that a harsher penalty would have been imposed on her under similar circumstances.
Conversely, Rafael Nadal backed Sinner, stating, “Jannik has accepted these three months of sanction and so case closed.”
As Sinner prepares to return to the ATP Tour, Draper’s defense highlights the complexities surrounding doping allegations and the importance of character assessments. The tennis world will be watching closely as Sinner steps back onto the court, aiming to move past the controversy and focus on his performance.
