‘Frustrated’ Novak Djokovic agrees with Nick Kyrgios as he calls for more ‘transparency’ after Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner’s doping scandal
Novak Djokovic accused the ITIA of treating certain players differently after Iga Swiatek and Jannik Sinner avoided lengthy bans.
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Nick Kyrgios, Iga Swiatek, Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic (Images via X)
Novak Djokovic and Nick Kyrgios are on the same page about the recent doping controversies involving Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek. The two top players tested positive for banned substances and were cleared of all charges, facing no severe punishments.
Djokovic and Kyrgios are in Brisbane to kick-start their campaign for the 2025 season. While Kyrgios never hesitated while giving his opinion on the doping scandal, Djokovic stated that anti-doping agencies need to be more transparent.
We live in a world where everyone has the right to express themselves, especially on social media. Nick has spoken a lot about the whole Jannik doping case, and he’s right about the transparency and the inconsistency of the protocols and the comparisons between the various cases.
Novak Djokovic said at the press conference
Djokovic said he is ‘frustrated’ that many players were kept in the dark for months and he questioned why the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced Sinner’s case in August and not in March when clostebol was found in his sample. He also questioned the ATP for not talking in depth about why Sinner’s case was kept away from the public.
We have seen many players in the past, and also currently, who have been suspended for not even having undergone anti-doping tests and for not having communicated their whereabouts, and some lower-ranked players who have been waiting for their cases to be resolved for more than a year.
Novak Djokovic added
By taking the example of Swiatek and Simona Halep, Djokovic said he cannot understand why certain players are treated differently than others. Halep was initially given a four-year ban after consuming the banned drug roxadustat accidentally. The ban was shortened to nine months when she appealed before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Novak Djokovic opens up about his partnership with Nick Kyrgios
Novak Djokovic revealed in the press conference that it was at the 2024 Wimbledon when he and Nick Kyrgios contemplated joining forces. It was in December that Kyrgios made the surprising announcement of their decision to play doubles at 2025 Brisbane International.
Both will begin their campaigns for the 2025 season at the Brisbane International, where they will play singles as well. In their opening match, they will lock horns with Alexander Erler and Andreas Mies.
It’s going to be fun. We texted about it and we spoke earlier in Wimbledon about playing together when he’s back on tour. We’ve got the first chance right away in the first week of the season.
Novak Djokovic said
In singles, however, Djokovic will be clashing with Rinky Hijikata, while Kyrgios’ opponent is Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard. Kyrgios last played a tournament back in 2023 when he was defeated by Wu Yibing at the Stuttgart Open.
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Gouri Das
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