The 2021 US Open champion
Emma Raducanu
shared her thoughts on the apprehensions felt by her fellow players after the
controversial
doping cases involving
Iga Swiatek and
Jannik Sinner. Raducanu
highlighted how most players are extremely cautious about what they consume and
the challenges of ensuring that nothing is contaminated with banned substances.
The end of
the season has been overshadowed by Swiatek’s case. The Polish player was
handed a one-month suspension after testing positive for Trimetazidine. This
was attributed to contamination from melatonin purchased outside ITIA-approved
outlets, implying partial responsibility on Swiatek's part.
Sinner’s
case earlier this season was markedly different. The Italian tested positive in
March during Indian Wells after a physiotherapist treated him without gloves
using Clostebol to address cuts on his fingers.
The substance entered his body
through minor leg wounds. Sinner avoided suspension, but WADA has appealed the
decision, seeking a one-to-two-year suspension. A resolution is still pending,
leaving the 22-year-old in limbo for at least a few more months.
Raducanu
recently spoke about the precautions players take to avoid such situations. “I
think in general, not just me but a lot of the players I know, we’re quite
apprehensive,” she told Tennis 365. “Everything we take, we are very aware of
the situation and how easily things can be contaminated. And there are certain
supplements that I may want to take but I can’t take them because they’re
over-the-counter and they’re not batch-tested.”
“To batch
test something is £1,000 for one little thing, so it’s very expensive. For the
things that you really, really need to take, then it’s obviously worth that,
but you just have to cut out a lot of things that you wouldn’t necessarily
take,” she continued. “I’m very careful with what I drink, what I eat. If I
leave my water around, I’m very on edge about it. But it’s just part of the
sport. We’re all in the same boat.”