“He’ll be back stronger”: Matteo Berrettini supports Jannik Sinner amid suspension controversy

Matteo Berrettini has voiced his support for his compatriot Jannik Sinner following the world No. 1’s three-month suspension. After the ITIA ruled that Sinner had "no fault or negligence," the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced its intention to appeal the case.

A new ruling was expected in April, with Sinner facing a possible suspension of one to two years. However, he reached an agreement with WADA and accepted a three-month ban, which began last week. This means he will return to competition in early May at the Rome Open.

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His colleague and friend Matteo Berrettini expressed his unconditional support for Sinner amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the suspension. The world No. 1 admitted partial responsibility in the case, which explains his three-month ban.

Former Wimbledon finalist Berrettini believes these months away from the court will only make his 23-year-old compatriot stronger, as he stated in an interview with Italian outlet Il Corriere della Sera. "I believe in sport. I don’t know what happened between the various organizations, I’m not a lawyer, and it’s not my place."

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"I’m only sorry for a guy like Sinner who, as the papers show, was the victim of a mistake. But Jannik is stronger than all of us… he’ll be back," the former world No. 6 added. "I have always supported Sinner and believe that the positive tests were the result of a mistake. I can imagine that it is a difficult time for him. Have I written to him? No, I prefer to respect his desire for privacy."

Berrettini will make his Qatar Open debut this Tuesday against none other than Novak Djokovic, marking their fifth encounter. The head-to-head record heavily favours Nole at 4-0.

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