Jannik Sinner will turn 'unpleasant' doping ban into 'something positive'

The world number 1 has been unable to play since defending his Australian Open title in January due to a three-month doping suspension that started on February 9 and runs until May 4.

The Italian tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol twice in March 2024 â” during and after the Indian Wells Masters.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed in August that Sinner would not serve a ban after an independent tribunal ruled he carried "no fault or negligence".

However, WADA appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the verdict in September as they initially sought to impose a ban of between one and two years on the player.

The appeal was set to be heard at CAS in April, but WADA announced in February it had reached an agreement with Sinner's legal team for him to serve a three-month ban.

Piatti played an integral role in Sinner's development as a player, having coached the Italian from the age of 13 until 20 before the player chose to end the collaboration in February 2022.

Speaking to SuperTennis TV, Piatti said: "This whole situation has been very unpleasant for Sinner, but I'm sure he'll turn it into something positive.

"I think Jannik has a very important card up his sleeve in the coming months to win Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open.

"I'm sure that during these months of hiatus, Jannik hasn't stopped. During the pandemic, for example, it was one of the most important moments of growth for him.

"He trained physically three times a week and played tennis every day."

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