Rennae Stubbs has voiced strong criticism over the ongoing doping case involving Jannik Sinner, describing any potential ban for the Italian star as a “terrible look for tennis.” The former doubles No. 1 slammed the appeal filed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), questioning the timing and fairness of their actions.
Last September, WADA announced it would challenge the initial ruling by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after Sinner tested positive for clostebol twice in March 2024. Despite the positive tests, the ITIA cleared the world No. 1 of fault, accepting his explanation that the contamination had occurred accidentally through a team member’s negligence. As a result, Sinner lost his prize money and ranking points from his Indian Wells title, but faced no further sanction.
However, WADA disagreed with this decision and filed an appeal, pushing for a harsher penalty. Their appeal was taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), with a hearing scheduled for April 16-17 in Lausanne. If WADA prevails, Sinner could face a suspension lasting anywhere from one to two years, which would significantly impact his career.
Since the initial ruling, Sinner has continued to shine on the tennis court, winning two Grand Slam titles—at the 2024 US Open and 2025 Australian Open. He also claimed the ATP Finals title and helped lead Italy to a second consecutive Davis Cup victory in November. Remarkably, these victories came even as WADA announced its appeal shortly after his US Open triumph, with the hearing set to take place just days before his Australian Open defense.
On the Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, the former Australian tennis star couldn’t hide her frustration at the entire situation. She slammed WADA for their handling of the case and their timing, emphasizing the damaging impact a suspension could have on the sport.
“This WADA situation is such a joke, I mean it’s such a joke,” Stubbs said, incredulously. “How can the ITIA say no fault for you, and then WADA decides months later: ‘You know what, that’s not quite satisfactory for us, we want him to pay for his team doing something stupid, but we are going to wait until April.’ Are you kidding me?”
Stubbs continued, expressing disbelief at the timing of WADA’s appeal, especially considering Sinner’s recent Grand Slam victories. “He has played two Grand Slams, and won them. You think this is a good look WADA? You really think this is a good look?” she said, predicting that the situation could escalate into a ban that would cast a negative light on the sport.
A potential suspension would see Sinner miss out on the French Open and Wimbledon—two Grand Slams he has yet to win, and both crucial events in his career. Despite this, Sinner has remained remarkably calm in the face of the looming CAS hearing, focusing on his game and not letting the controversy distract him.
After his Australian Open victory, Sinner reflected on the situation with a clear mind. “I mean, what happened, happened, no?” he said. “As I always say, I keep playing like this because I have a clear mind on what happened. If I know I would be guilty, I would not play like this, and that’s it.”
Sinner remains confident that the situation will ultimately resolve in his favor. “I still believe every time it came out in a very positive way, and I still believe it’s going to be that case. That’s it, no? At the moment I’m not thinking about this.”
With the hearing on the horizon, all eyes will be on the CAS decision, but Sinner’s focus remains firmly on his game—his clear mind a testament to his resilience amidst the storm.