Jannik Sinner’s and Iga Swiatek’s doping scandals ‘scare’ Aryna Sabalenka as she’s ‘more cautious’ over what she eats and drinks
Aryna Sabalenka is bidding to win her third Madrid Open title and will face Anna Blinkova to kick-start her campaign.
Follow Us
Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/WTA, Energy, Wimbledon)
Tennis players have become more cautious over what they are eating or drinking after the two failed drug tests last year created quite a stir in the tennis community. Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner tested positive for trimetazidine and clostebol, respectively. Both the players were the victims of accidental contamination.
Swiatek failed the drug test because she was consuming contaminated melatonin medication. Clostebol entered Sinner’s body during physiotherapy sessions as his former physio Giacomo Naldi was using a spray containing the banned anabolic steroid.
World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka, who is in Madrid, bidding to win her third title of the season, said that these two high-profile doping scandals have made her “more cautious and aware of the dangers” of accidental contamination.
I only drink and eat things that I have been able to control to the maximum and that my team provides me, and I am very careful about who I associate with, who I touch, and so on. Someone could have a cream with a banned substance and it could transfer to my body; so… yes, it’s quite scary, but that’s how things are.
Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference
Men’s World No.3 Carlos Alcaraz also revealed that the fear of contamination has forced him to decline a drink. In January this year, Emma Raducanu, ahead of the Australian Open, said she declined insect bite treatment as she was concerned about the risk of contamination.
Swiatek is in Madrid, preparing to start her bid for her first title since winning her fourth Roland Garros trophy last year. Sinner, on the the hand, is serving his three-month doping ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). He will make his comeback at the Italian Open, which is set to commence on May 7.
Aryna Sabalenka reveals how clay-court event improves her game
Aryna Sabalenka, the winner of 19 singles titles, has so far clinched just two trophies on clay- both at the Madrid Open in 2021 and 2023. Apart from those two titles, Sabalenka has reached multiple other finals, including at the Stuttgart Open four times. As the Belarusian is preparing to lock horns with Anna Blinkova in the second round, she made her feelings known about how clay-court events help her game.
Playing on clay gives you extra time to hit. Historically, this has led to confusion for me; many ideas come to mind, and mistakes are made. You need to be physically prepared, but above all, have good tactical intelligence. I think this surface is the one that best allows improvement in all aspects of the game.
Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference
Last year in the Madrid Open final, the three-time Grand Slam singles champion squandered three championship points against Iga Swiatek, who became a Madrid Open champion for the first time in her career. Sabalenka, who is 4-8 against the five-time Grand Slam champion in the head-to-head record, could once again set up a final clash with Swiatek in the Spanish capital.
Anna Blinkova is yet to secure a win against Aryna Sabalenka
Qualifier Anna Blinkova beat Panna Udvardy to schedule the second-round clash with Aryna Sabalenka. The Russian ace met the World No.1 three times but was never successful in clinching a win.
Their fourth head-to-head encounter will be their first match since 2023 Wimbledon. Blinkova entered the Madrid Open after losing her first match at the Open de Rouen. Sabalenka, on the other hand, lost the Stuttgart Open title to Jelena Ostapenko in straight sets. The 26-year-old has so far reached five finals this year, winning the Brisbane International and her first Sunshine Double singles title at the Madrid Open.
Subscribe to our Newsletter
/techfirstnow/media/agency_attachments/kATjCXskQdJKkXN0OuqW.png)