Serena Williams feels she would’ve been handed a 20 years ban for Jannik Sinner-like doping offense

Serena Williams and Jannik Sinner met each other at the Miami Open last year, where the Italian emerged victorious.

Serena Williams feels she would’ve been handed a 20 years ban for Jannik Sinner-like doping offense

Jannik Sinner and Serena Williams (via X)

Serena Williams has spoken about Jannik Sinner and his recent doping case. She said that men’s tennis “needs” him, even though she seemed unsure about how serious his punishment was.

Sinner, ranked No. 1 in the world, is serving a three-month ban. He tested positive twice in 2024 for a banned steroid. The tennis integrity agency said it was not his fault, as the drug came from someone on his team. At first, he was not suspended.

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Fantastic personality. I love the guy, I love this game. He’s great for the sport. I’ve been put down so much, I don’t want to bring anyone down. Men’s tennis needs him. But if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me.

Serena Williams said in an interview to Time

Later, WADA disagreed with that decision. They planned to take the case to court. But the case was settled, and Sinner accepted a three-month ban in February 2025.

Serena praised Sinner in an interview with Time. She called him a great player. But she also said she would have faced a tougher punishment if it were her. This has raised questions about fairness in the sport.

Serena Williams feels sorry for Maria Sharapova after Jannik Sinner’s doping ban

American legend Serena Williams has reflected on how Maria Sharapova was treated after her doping case. She shared that she felt some sympathy for her former rival.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova
Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova (via X)

Just weirdly and oddly, I can’t help but think about Maria all this time – I can’t help but feel for her.

Serena Williams added in the interview

Sharapova tested positive for meldonium in 2016 and was banned for two years. The ban was later shortened to 15 months. Like Jannik Sinner, her mistake was ruled as not intentional.

Serena said that despite their rivalry, she understood how tough that time must have been for Sharapova. She felt the punishment Sharapova got was much harsher compared to what others have faced. These comments came as Serena was honored on the Time100 list for 2025. She used the moment to speak honestly about fairness in tennis.

Serena Williams set to appear on Netflix

Tennis icon Serena Williams retired in 2022. But she hasn’t slowed down since then. She is now stepping into a new role with Netflix.

Serena Williams (2)
Serena Williams (Image via X)

Serena will be an executive producer for a new project. It is a screen adaptation of Carrie Soto Is Back, a novel by Taylor Jenkins Reid. The story is about a tennis star who returns from retirement at 37 to protect her Grand Slam record.

She will produce the film with Caroline Currier through their company, Nine Two Six Productions. They are working with Picturestart. The book’s author said Serena’s real-life career helped inspire the story, though the character is fictional.

This isn’t Serena’s first time producing. She worked on the 2024 docuseries In the Arena: Serena Williams. She also helped produce the 2021 film King Richard with her sister Venus Williams. That film showed their early life and tennis journey.