"Nobody would want to be in Jannik Sinner's shoes"- Matteo Berrettini opens up on seeing "less joy" in compatriot's eyes; addresses doping controversy
Matteo Berrettini was sympathetic to Jannik Sinner’s misfortune after the latter found himself in the midst of a doping controversy. The 28-year-old hailed his compatriot’s maturity in handling the situation.
Sinner tested positive for Clostebol after traces of the banned substance were found in two of his urine samples during his Indian Wells campaign in March. The news came to light five months later, on August 20, when the case concluded in the Italian’s favor.
During his interview with Sky Sport, Matteo Berrettini said:
"I think these have been difficult months for him, it's impressive how he's handled everything," he said (translated from Italian via napolimagazine).
"I complimented him. Nobody would want to be in his shoes, but I know him well and I'm sure it was a mistake," he added.
The former World No. 6 noted that Jannik Sinner had seemed subdued in recent months, adding that everything became clear when the case was uncovered.
"I saw something different in his eyes, maybe less joy than usual. When everything came out, I understood what was cooking," he said.
According to the results of the investigation, the negligible amount of Clostebol found in Sinner’s sample did not have any performance-enhancing effect, and it was also declared that the tennis player was innocent and bore “no fault or negligence” in the positive tests.
The drug apparently entered Jannik Sinner’s system when his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, unintentionally exposed him to it during his massage sessions. Naldi, who was treating a cut on his own finger, had used a spray containing Clostebol (available over-the-counter in Italy) to heal the wound.
"Jannik Sinner's achieved great results despite the situation" – Matteo Berrettini
Although he was cleared of any wrongdoing, Jannik Sinner was subjected to severe online abuse. A few players, too, joined in to accuse the governing bodies (the ATP and the ITIA) of alleged preferential treatment, pointing at the quick conclusion of the case and the World No. 1 escaping a hefty suspension.
It is worth noting that Sinner was in fact handed two brief suspensions, both of which were appealed successfully by him and his legal team. Sinner also addressed the media on August 23, where he answered all questions to tackle widespread misinformation.
Impressively, despite the mentally and emotionally taxing ordeal from April to August, Jannik Sinner produced some exceptional results on the court. He reached the semifinals of the French Open and subsequently made his World No. 1 debut. The 23-year-old also won two titles—the ATP 500 in Halle in June and the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati on August 19, just a day before he broke the news of his failed tests.
Matteo Berrettini hailed his younger colleague for putting on a brave face and not letting his emotional turmoil affect his on-court composure.
"It's impressive how he's handled everything, he's achieved great results despite the situation," he said in the aforementioned interview.
"We talked in the locker room, just by looking into each other's eyes we understood how difficult it was to handle this situation." Matteo Berrettini recalled, adding, "Even these days he's handling everything in an excellent way, it's impressive at his age."
Jannik Sinner will hope to move on from the controversy as he bids for his second Grand Slam title at the 2024 US Open. The Italian is set to face Mackenzie McDonald in the opening round on Tuesday, August 27. Matteo Berrettini, meanwhile, will begin his run against Albert Ramos-Vinolas on Monday.