Jannik Sinner’s Cincinnati Open 4R opponent gives scathing reaction to Italian & Iga Swiatek’s doping ban controversy

August 13, 2025

33

French player Adrian Mannarino has shared his thoughts on Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s doping cases. Notably, Sinner’s next clash is against Adrian Mannarino in the Round of 16 of the Cincinnati Masters on Wednesday, August 13.

Sinner tested positive for clostebol, while the Polish player was found to have TMZ. Owing to this, both players faced suspensions earlier in the year, with Sinner banned for a 3-month stint while Swiatek was barred from the circuit for a period of one month. Notably, neither player missed any of the Grand Slams in the season, and this brief punishment and the way WTA and ATP handle this issue raised questions for Mannarino.

Speaking to the reporters at the Cincinnati Masters, Mannarino shared that he was surprised by the treatment Sinner and Swiatek received and felt that the ATP and WTA were very reluctant in both players' cases. He said:

"I no longer believe in Santa Claus. Everyone is free to believe if they want to. I'm willing to give the benefit of the doubt, but I think it's very surprising."

The French player added further:

"I think they [ATP, WTA] did everything in their power to make them appear as clean athletes, almost like victims. I wake up every morning limping. If at my age I have to go on the court with 20-25 year olds who aren't clean, it becomes complicated."

After their suspensions came to an end, both Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner have enjoyed notable success on the tennis court and have also won the Wimbledon Championships individually. Swiatek, next up, faces Sorana Cirstea in her Round of 16 match at the Cincinnati Masters.

Jannik Sinner made his feelings known after the fastest victory of his career at the Cincinnati Masters

Jannik Sinner shared his emotions after the fastest victory of his career in the opening match of the Cincinnati Masters 2025. The Italian player defeated Daniel Galan in straight sets 6-1, 6-1 in just less than an hour.

Speaking after the game, Sinner expressed his happiness and said that he is leaving the court content. Additionally, he also addressed the playing conditions in the tournament and added (via Tennis World USA):

"I'm not sure what my expectations were for today, but I'm leaving the court very happy. It's not easy to play in these conditions. I could not have asked for a better result. I'm happy to be here."

During the interview, Jannik Sinner also remarked that the atmosphere and the crowd around the stadium were staggering.

About the author

Soumik is a journalist at Sportskeeda who covers US Olympics. Currently an Honors student of Journalism and Mass Communication, he has also worked for other firms as a tennis and football content writer.

Soumik’s favorite Olympian is Michael Phelps and he believes that the eight-time Olympic gold medal-winning swimmer has revolutionized the spectrum of Swimming. Nonetheless, the adrenaline rush that Track & Field sports offer interests him the most; and Neeraj Chopra’s historic gold-medal victory at the 2020 Tokyo Games is his favorite moment from past Olympics.

Soumik sources data and facts from credible sources like BBC and NBC for accurate and relevant reporting, and keeps up with updates on social media and news media platforms.

He feels that covering collegiate tournaments, similar to what is done in the United States can be a good way to cover the bridge the coverage gap during the Olympics off season.

When not reporting on the latest Olympics news stories, Soumik likes to play cricket and watch movies.

Know More