“Italian fans like to think of me as a madman”: Shapovalov explains controversial comments on Jannik Sinner doping case

Denis Shapovalov lashed out at Jannik Sinner’s fans for insulting him in recent months. The former World No. 10 has been one of the most vocal critics of the Italian player following the doping scandal that implicated Sinner, which has also provoked backlash from users attacking "Shapo" in return.

The 25-year-old Canadian spoke with his colleagues Thanasi Kokkinakis and the recently retired Dominic Thiem in a promotional video for the Ultimate Tennis Showdown, addressing how social media, particularly X, generates constant insults and hate speech against players.

Shapovalov discussed the controversial post he made about Jannik Sinner, which became one of the most talked-about moments in the tennis world, given its source: a high-profile player like "Shapo." “Different rules for different players,” he posted, garnering thousands of responses and retweets, both in support and opposition to the Canadian.

“It seems like X people just hate and attack everyone,” Shapovalov told Thiem and Kokkinakis. “This was something that happened to me with Italian fans when I made a comment about the Sinner case. It has nothing against Jannik, for me it was just the principle that it should be the same for all players, but a lot of Italian fans like to think of me as a madman,” he analyzed.

The former Wimbledon semifinalist clarified weeks ago that his remarks were not directed at Sinner but at the way authorities handle such situations. “Honestly, it had nothing to do with Jannik. For me, it’s just a question of how they handle each situation differently, depending on the player.”

“It’s not fair that some tennis players have been suspended for years for contamination, and others are able to play while they try to sweep it under the carpet. There are a couple of other athletes who have never tested positive but missed a couple of tests and received an 18-month ban.”