"It's Jannik Sinner's problem, his responsibility to deal with it" - Andy Roddick on Italian answering doping controversy questions in US Open presser
Andy Roddick has agreed with a tennis journalist's take on Jannik Sinner fielding questions related to his doping controversy during a 2024 US Open pre-tournament press conference. Sinner, the World No. 1, refused to shy away from answering reporters' questions regarding the controversy despite the moderator's initial attempts to limit follow-up questions on the subject.
The Italian came under fierce scrutiny after he and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced on Tuesday, August 20, that he had twice tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol in March this year. The World No. 1 was provisionally suspended, but the suspension was lifted in a matter of days after his legal team provided evidence of him getting contaminated with the substance accidentally rather than on purpose.
An independent tribunal later cleared the World No. 1 of any wrongdoing, accepting the evidence that he was exposed to the substance after being massaged by his physiotherapist, who was treating a cut on his finger with a spray containing Clostebol.
Jannik Sinner has parted ways with his trainer and physio soon after the sensational revelations stirred controversy, drawing fierce criticism from multiple active players, who bemoaned what they perceive as preferential treatment for the Italian.
Recently, Sinner attended a 2024 US Open pre-tournament press conference, during which the moderator, who was representing the interests of the hardcourt Major, tried to stop the reporters in attendance from asking the Italian follow-up questions about the Clostebol contamination.
However, the reigning Australian Open champion defied the moderator and calmly answered multiple questions relevant to the subject. These developments led to journalist Jon Wertheim writing on X (formerly Twitter):
"The idea that there was an earnest @usopen request to restrict questions to tennis? That was the sport at its jay-vee best...Full credit to Sinner for recognizing the absurdity of the request- and the seriousness of the situation - fielding all questions, and doing so with poise..."
Andy Roddick later took to the platform himself and agreed with Wertheim. According to the 2003 US Open champion, Jannik Sinner is accountable for the controversial situation, and should answer questions on it whenever asked. The 41-year-old also opined that had the Italian not taken on the questions, he would have looked "weak".
"Totally agree. It’s his problem and it’s his responsibility to deal w it. Weak to stop follow ups," Roddick wrote.
So far, Andy Roddick has sided with the independent tribunal's decision to let Jannik Sinner continue playing, and dismissed conspiracy theories that suggest that the Italian was preferentially treated by the authorities owing to his stature in tennis.
"Put yourself in the shoes of anyone who gets terrible reputational news" - Andy Roddick's plea to Jannik Sinner critics amid Italian's doping controversy
Jannik Sinner continues to be chastized by several sections of the tennis fraternity. According to the Italian's critics, he should have served an extended suspension despite his accidental exposure to the banned substance. Some active players, such as Denis Shapovalov and Nick Kyrgios, have also slammed the authorities' decision to let the Italian keep playing.
However, some of the criticism directed towards the World No. 1 has been based on misinformation. For instance, many questioned why it took so long for Jannik Sinner and the ITIA to publicize the developments in August, considering the fact that the tests and the reports date back to the March-April period this year.
The truth behind this were the binding rules, according to which the developments couldn't be made public before the independent tribunal came to a conclusive verdict.
Recently, Roddick urged critics to judge Sinner based on "facts" and to think about the damage they are doing to the Italian's reputation by judging him based on misinformation.
"I think facts matter more than feelings in this scenario. And I'm not going to tell you the way to feel. I'm going to tell you as much information, and then judge away, but at least judge away knowing processes, etc," Roddick said during a recent episode of the Served With Andy Roddick podcast, before adding, "Think what you want, suspect what you want. Also, put yourself in the shoes of anyone who gets terrible reputational news. I would just say allow for grace to have the story come out."
Jannik Sinner is set to start his 2024 US Open campaign against Mackenzie McDonald on Tuesday, August 27. If the Italian progresses to the second round, he will face either Eliot Spizzirri or Alex Michelsen.