SHANGHAI-. Jannik Sinnerthe world’s number one tennis player, is “intensely confident” that he will avoid a veto after the World Anti-Doping Agency He appealed the decision to exonerate him of any crime after his two positive tests for doping.
The Montreal-based body announced last Saturday that it is seeking a one- to two-year ban for the US Open champion and filed an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
“I’m still surprised, but I will collaborate as I did before,” Sinner said on Friday, a day before he begins his journey at the Shanghai Masters. “I had three hearings and in all three they opted for me, which you know, was good. But now we will see.”
“But he trusted that it will turn out very, very positive. “It would be a big, big surprise if it turned out differently.”
The appeal means the case may not be resolved before Sinner begins the defense of his title at the Australian Open in January. Sinner can continue playing while the hearing takes place.
The 23-year-old tennis player learned of WADA’s decision when he appeared at the China Open and ended up losing the final on Wednesday against Carlos Alcaraz.
“It’s not a situation I feel comfortable in, certainly, because I thought it was over. And now once again. So it’s not easy,” he admitted.
Sinner tested positive twice for an anabolic steroid in March, but was not banned in August when the independent tribunal of the International Tennis Integrity Agency handed down its verdict because the ITIA determined the Italian was not at fault.
Sinner’s accepted explanation was that the banned substance entered his system accidentally through a massage from his physical therapist, who used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut.