Federer gives Sinner benefit of doubt but questions potential inconsistency in doping case

Swiss tennis great Roger Federer said on Tuesday that anti-doping authorities have questions to answer about a perceived double standard applied to world number one Jannik Sinner after he dodged a suspension despite two positive tests earlier this year.

The 20-time Grand Slam champion called the drama surrounding Italy’s Sinner “a tricky situation” and “the nightmare of every athlete”, but said he trusts that Sinner did not intentionally use the banned substance clostebol.

“It’s not something we want to see in our sport. This type of news, regardless of whether he did something or not … It’s just noise that we don’t want,” Federer said in an interview with NBC’s Today show on Tuesday.

“I understand the frustration about has he been treated the same as others, and I think this is where it comes down to,” he said.

“I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything, but the inconsistency potentially that he’d have to sit out while they were not 100% sure about what was going on, I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered,” he added. “But it is what it is. We have to trust the process as well of everyone involved.”

Federer is in New York to promote his book and said he will be attending the evening U.S. Open session on Tuesday, his first return to Arthur Ashe Stadium since his retirement two years ago.