Sinner doping case could have been communicated more efficiently, ATP chair says
Andrew Dampf | The Associated Press | Posted: November 14, 2024 2:20 PM | Last Updated: November 14
WADA seeking ban of 1 to 2 years for U.S. Open champ who's into semis at ATP Finals
There "could have been better communication" in explaining the rules involved in Jannik Sinner's doping case, ATP Tour chairman Andrea Gaudenzi acknowledged Thursday.
However, Gaudenzi said at the ATP Finals anyone hinting that a "double standard" was applied because of top-ranked Sinner's status is "unfair because the rules have been the same."
Sinner is playing at home this week for the first time since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive for an anabolic steroid in two separate drug tests in March.
The case wasn't made public until August.
"I learned the day before we all learned," Gaudenzi said in his first public comments on the case. He spoke in a round-table discussion with international reporters.
"And to be honest, I'm happy about that. I really thank the ITA [International Tennis Integrity Agency] and our representatives there for intentionally keeping me and our entire team in the dark because that's how it should be.
"It should be completely independent and that was agreed by the [parties]. It was a shock, but obviously comforted by the evidence afterward."
A decision by an independent tribunal to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in September and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is expected to make a final ruling on the case early next year.
Sinner's explanation was that the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat his own cut finger.
WADA is seeking a ban of one to two years for Sinner.
"We are completely external and it's [an] independent process," Gaudenzi said. "I generally think has been a fair process. It was really done by the book and by the rules. Maybe there could have been better communication in explaining those rules, and that is something that I would urge every party involved to work better in the next time."
First to qualify for semifinals in Italy
On the court, Sinner became the first player to advance to the semifinals at the ATP Finals on Thursday.
Sinner and U.S. Open finalist Taylor Fritz advanced at the season-ending tournament for the year's top eight players.
Sinner won the round-robin group after a 6-3, 6-4 victory over 2020 champion Daniil Medvedev; and Fritz advanced in second after rallying past Alex de Minaur 5-7, 6-4, 6-3.
Sinner was already assured of a spot in the last four before his match against Medvedev but still extended his winning streak to nine matches. Sinner beat Fritz in the U.S. Open final in September for his second Grand Slam title.
Medvedev, who won one of three matches, and De Minaur, who didn't win any, were eliminated.
Last year, Sinner lost the final to Novak Djokovic, who pulled out injured this year.
Alexander Zverev leads the other group ahead of Casper Ruud, Carlos Alcaraz and Andrey Rublev.
Sinner took the edge in his career meetings with Medvedev at 8-7, after Medvedev swept their first six matches.
Fritz improved to 4-5 in his career against De Minaur and could pull level next week in a quarterfinal matchup between the United States and Australia at the Davis Cup Finals.
Tourney future to be revealed Sunday
Gaudenzi said he plans to announce on Sunday the future host of the ATP Finals. The contract with Turin expires next year and there is an option to move the event to nearby Milan at a bigger arena being built for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics.
"We are all super happy with what's happened here in Turin and of course we've been a bit lucky with the players in Italy," Gaudenzi said. "It's not only Jannik but also Matteo Berrettini played the first edition. Nobody could foresee that.
"We knew we were going to a tennis country," said Gaudenzi, who is Italian and a former pro player. "[Finals] should definitely go in a market that loves tennis. … It's obviously going to get better if you have a local hero, no doubt."
Gaudenzi does not want to move the finals too far away geographically from the previous stop on the circuit, the Paris Masters.
"We want to try to avoid the players to fly around the world," he said, "because they do enough traveling all over throughout the year."
Tiafoe fined $120K US for cursing at umpire
U.S. Open semifinalist Frances Tiafoe was fined a total of $120,000 US, but will not be suspended, for cursing repeatedly at a chair umpire after losing a match at the Shanghai Masters last month.
The ATP said Thursday its fines committee handed Tiafoe a penalty of $60,000 for aggravated behaviour on top of the maximum on-site fine of $60,000 he was handed for verbal abuse.
The 18th-ranked Tiafoe, a 26-year-old from Maryland will not be barred from competing, the tour said.
During a minute-long tirade after bowing out 5-7, 7-5, 7-6 (5) against 61st-ranked Roman Safiullin in the third round at Shanghai, Tiafoe sent about 10 expletives in the direction of official Jimmy Pinoargote.
Later, Tiafoe posted an apology on social media, calling his reaction "not acceptable behaviour" and writing: "That is not who I am and not how I ever want to treat people. I let my frustration in the heat of the moment get the best of me and I'm extremely disappointed with how I handled the situation."
Tiafoe was angered by being docked a first serve for a time violation at 5-5 in the closing tiebreaker.
Pinoargote ruled Tiafoe was not making a genuine attempt to serve when he tossed the ball in the air at the baseline as the serve clock was set to expire. Tiafoe initially protested before continuing to play; he lost that point and the next to close the match.
Tiafoe congratulated Safiullin at the net before turning toward the umpire and shouting the first expletives. Tiafoe passed to the other side of the net toward his chair and said the umpire messed up the match.
Tiafoe made it to the semifinals at the U.S. Open in 2022, when he lost at that stage to eventual champion Carlos Alcaraz, and got that far again this September before losing in five sets to fellow American Taylor Fritz.