Djokovic says Sinner's doping ban will hang over him like a 'cloud'

Jannik Sinner is congratulated by Novak Djokovic. Pic: AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake

Novak Djokovic has warned Jannik Sinner that his three-month doping ban will hang over him like a "cloud" - and questioned both the timing and length of the sanction on the world number one last year.

Sinner served a three-month ban in February 2025 after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted his explanation that a banned anabolic steroid, clostebol, entered his system accidentally.

In an interview on Piers Morgan: Uncensored on YouTube, Djokovic said: "That cloud will follow him just as the cloud of Covid will follow me, for the rest of his, or my career in this case.

"It's just something that, it was so major, and when that happens, over time it will fade, but I don't think it will disappear. There's always going to be a certain group of people that will always try to bring that forward."

Djokovic said he believed that Sinner, a regular practice partner, "didn't do it on purpose", but he went on to question how the Italian managed to serve his time without missing a grand slam.

"There is the lack of transparency, the inconsistency, the convenience [of] the ban coming, between the slams, so he doesn't miss out the others - it's just, it was very, very odd," added Djokovic.

"I really don't like how the case was being handled and you could hear so many other players, both male and female, who had some similar situations coming out in the media, and complaining that it was a preferable treatment."

Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz fought back to beat Taylor Fritz in a three-set thriller at the season-ending ATP Finals in Turin.

Top seed Alcaraz lost a first-set tie-break to the American before recovering to win 6-7 (2) 7-5 6-3 and is now just one win away from ensuring he will retain his world number ranking ahead of Sinner at the end of the year.

"It was pretty tight, I was struggling more than him in the first set," Alcaraz said in his post-match interview. "I wasn't serving well, and I think he was pretty comfortable from the baseline, from everywhere.

"I was really relieved after the win because of everything I went through during the match. I wasn't feeling the ball as well as I was in the first round, but I'm really happy that I found a way to come back."

American world number six Fritz defeated home favourite Lorenzo Musetti 6-3 6-4 on Monday at the 12,000-capacity Inalpi Arena and he clinched two mini-breaks in the tie-break to take the opening set in an hour and 12 minutes.

Alcaraz, who beat Alex De Minaur in straight sets on Sunday, hit back to level the match by seizing the only break of serve in the second set while leading 6-5.

Last year's runner-up Fritz lost his serve again in the sixth game in the deciding set to fall 4-2 behind and although he saved three match points in his next service game, Alcaraz powered to victory.

The Spaniard stayed on course for his first ATP Finals win and will be assured of a place in the last four if De Minaur defeats Musetti later on Tuesday.