"It pisses me off" - Denis Shapovalov & Thanasi Kokkinakis shed light on 'mental torture' players have to undergo for doping control
Denis Shapovalov and Thanasi Kokkinakis discussed the "mental torture" players have to go through to comply with the doping policies. The Aussie claimed that he hated the rules and revealed that he already had two strikes.
In a YouTube video released by the Ultimate Tennis Showdown Tour, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Denis Shapovalov, and Dominic Thiem sat down to discuss everything related to tennis.
The trio stumbled upon the topic of doping, focusing on the timing of urine sample submissions and the procedures involving the officials who collect them. The players shared their frustrations with the process and its challenges.
"I hate the rule... I'm on two strikes right now I'm sh***ing myself," Kokkinakis said. "I haven't had one [test] in a while and every time I wake up to pee... So my thing is 7 to 8 that's when I put my thing and I don't know why and it pisses me off I always wake up at like 6:20 and need to pee so badly but then I'm nervous. I wake up and I'm like do I hold this in."
Shapovalov responded:
"That's the mental torture that players go through."
Further, the Aussie shared that if testers arrive after he’s already relieved himself, the frustration becomes overwhelming. Adding to the discomfort, the officials sit nearby, watching him, only heightening his unease. His Canadian counterpart agreed with him.
Tennis has recently been hit with several high-profile doping cases. ATP World No. 1 Jannik Sinner's no-guilt verdict has been appealed by the WADA, who seek a two-year ban for the Italian. Meanwhile, former WTA World No. 1 Iga Swiatek also tested positive for an illegal substance and accepted a one-month suspension.
Denis Shapovalov and Thanasi Kokkinakis hilariously share how some drug test officials get 'eye-level with it' and make players uncomfortable
In the podcast, continuing their conversation about doping officials, Thanasi Kokkinakis mentioned that some officials "get eye level with it as well." To which, Denis Shapovalov responded:
"Dude they love it."
Kokkinakis explained that it gets even more difficult for players to pee when officials behave like this.
"Bro, what, you think I've slept with some like fake pee apparatus where I can dope like this dude they're like hitting ground level and they're staring right into the front I'm like I'm sorry but it's hard when you like look like you're waiting for it," Kokkinakis added.
The 28-year-old recalled a particularly uncomfortable testing experience during a Challenger event, where he had to provide a sample in a cramped trailer cubicle. The space was so tight that the official monitoring him was uncomfortably close, leaving him feeling frustrated.