In pictures: Jannik Sinner spotted for the first time ever after doping ban and ‘this’ is the sport he might be planning to play
Sports coach and ski demonstrator Vedran Vrus shared an Instagram photo with Jannik Sinner in ski gear at Sexten, Dolomites, Sinner's hometown in South Tyrol, Italy.
Jannik Sinner (Image via Instagram)
ATP World No. 1 Jannik Sinner is currently serving a three-month suspension due to a failed doping test. During his suspension, which ranges from February 9 to May 4, he will miss the North American swing and many of the hard court tournaments that lead to the Roland Garros.
Sinner was in Doha gearing up for the Qatar Open when the suspension was announced to the public. His first sighting since that moment has been noticed two days ago, where he appeared to be spending his time off engaging in another sport he excels in—skiing.
Vedran Vrus, a sports coach, ski demonstrator, Nordic walking instructor, kinesiologist, and masseur, uploaded a photo of him and Jannik Sinner on his Instagram account. Both could be seen in ski outfits in Sexten, Dolomites, a mountain range and a nature reserve in South Tyrol, Italy and Sinner’s hometown.
Sinner has a special journey with the sport of skiing, which he began at age three along with tennis. He did his first ski races in first grade and played his first tennis tournament at the age of five. Sinner was one of Italy’s top junior skiers from seven to twelve years old, clinching a national championship title in giant slalom at age seven in 2008 and becoming a national runner-up at age eleven in 2012.
Jannik Sinner will be dealing with loads of ‘noise’ before being eligible to play
Last year in March, Jannik Sinner tested positive twice for clostebol, a banned substance. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) in August exonerated Sinner, accepting his explanation that he bore “no fault or negligence” as the substance entered his body without his knowledge.
An independent tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance had entered his body due to a massage from his former physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the anabolic steroid to treat a cut on his finger. In September, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) challenging the decision, and sought to impose a ban of between one and two years on the Italian.
The WADA appeal was initially scheduled for a hearing in April 16-17, but WADA announced last week that it had settled an agreement with Sinner’s representatives for a three-month ban. WADA accepted Sinner’s explanation, and bearing responsibility for the negligence of his entourage, it deemed a three-month suspension as an appropriate way to deal with this case.
Weeks before the ban, Sinner had defended his Australian Open title, defeating World No. 2 Alexander Zverev in straight sets. He was set to play at the Rotterdam Open as well, where he reigned champion last year. However, he withdrew from the tournament, citing the need for rest after a long Australian campaign. The next tournament that he will be eligible for playing will be on home soil in the Italian Open, which commences on May 7.
Stay Updated!
/techfirstnow/media/agency_attachments/kATjCXskQdJKkXN0OuqW.png)