Former world number one Andy Roddick has taken aim at Nick Kyrgios after the Australian criticised tennis officials for failing to sanction Italian star Jannik Sinner following two positive drug tests.
Kyrgios has publicly criticised a tribunal’s decision to clear Jannik Sinner of doping violations after the world number one tested positive for banned substances twice.
The International Tennis Integrity Authority reported that Sinner’s positive tests occurred in March.
Jannik Sinner’s positive doping samples, taken first on March 10 and again eight days later, led to provisional suspensions, but he continued to compete following urgent appeals from his team.
Despite maintaining his innocence, Sinner will forfeit $325,000 in prize money and 400 Indian Wells ranking points as the ITIA disqualified his results due to the minimal amount of clostebol found in his system.
The court accepted Sinner’s explanation that the anabolic agent clostebol entered his system accidentally through his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, who used a medicinal spray on his own skin and then massaged Sinner.
Naldi was unaware that the spray contained clostebol, a muscle-building steroid, and did not wear gloves during the massages.
Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios has slammed the world of tennis for not suspending Jannik Sinner after he tested positive twice in doping tests
Sinner’s team successfully argued that the banned substance was transmitted in small doses during a massage and was not intentionally ingested.
However, Kyrgios does not believe that explanation and has repeatedly criticised Sinner and the ITIA for the decision, saying he should be banned for two years.
“It’s ridiculous, whether accidental or planned,” Kyrgios wrote on social media platform X.
“If you are tested twice for a banned substance (steroids), you should be out of action for two years. Your performance has improved.”
His comments have polarised his fans, with some agreeing with Kyrgios and others accusing him of being resentful that Sinner is now dating his former partner Anna Kalinskaya.
Now former world number one Andy Roddick has also come under fire from Kyrgios, after publicly defending Sinner.
“You get tested at every Grand Slam, so there’s no way he wasn’t clean at the Australian Open if he was tested that much,” Roddick said on his podcast.
‘The amount present in your body is one billionth of a gram, or 58,000 times smaller than a grain of salt, which is entirely consistent with the explanation.’
Former world number one Andy Roddick has defended Sinner and also attacked Kyrgios.
That prompted Kyrgios to comment: “Do you understand how quickly this stuff leaves your system? Cream, gummies literally within hours. Ridiculous statement.”
One X user responded to Kyrgios: “How do you know? Experience? Hahaha you’re ridiculous bro. Leave it.”
“Do your research, you idiot,” the Australian replied.
At that point Roddick couldn’t help himself and decided to poke the bear.
“Dumba** is one word,” he posted.
“Thanks for the heads up. Could you also explain to me what banned at all times means?” Kyrgios asked.
Sinner will be free to compete in the upcoming US Open, where he will be a top contender.
Former women’s champion Chris Evert also defended Sinner but said the Italian champion needed to seek better protection measures within her own team.
“I think tennis has done a good job,” said the winner of 18 major tournaments.
‘My only doubt is about the steroid clostebol, yes, it is sold over the counter in Italy. You can buy it without a prescription, it’s like buying aspirin without a prescription.
‘Still, these players have teams that have to really examine what’s in these substances.
‘And I would have thought, especially since the Maria Sharapova saga (her two-year doping ban was reduced to 15 months following her appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport), that teams would be more aware of what to look for in any substances their players are taking.
‘It’s a drug that is no longer sold, but it contains a steroid, which is banned. You can’t take that steroid and then it turns out to be an aerosol.