Jannik Sinner's coach has defended the world No. 1, linking the ongoing investigation into his failed anti-doping tests to Sinner's absence from the Olympic Games.
On Tuesday, it was disclosed that Sinner had failed two anti-doping tests in March. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared him of fault or negligence.
The ITIA accepted Sinner's explanation that the banned anabolic substance clostebol had inadvertently entered his system through a product used by one of his team members to treat a minor injury.
Sinner was first informed of his doping violation in April. Although he won tournaments in Halle and Cincinnati, the Italian withdrew from the Paris Games due to tonsillitis. His coach, Darren Cahill, believes the investigation had started to take a toll on the 23-year-old.
Cahill told ESPN: "I guess if you are not a Jannik fan, you may not see much difference in what he has been doing the last few months because he has still been playing quite well.
"But if you are a Jannik fan, you would have seen a big change in his body language, physicality on the court, his excitement to be on the court. He's struggled, and I think it's worn him down physically and mentally.
"He got tonsillitis, which is the reason why he missed the Olympics.
"I just want to stress that he's maybe the most professional young man that I have ever had the chance to work with. He would never intentionally do anything wrong, and he's in a situation that is incredibly unfortunate."
Sinner first tested positive on March 10 while competing in Indian Wells and was flagged again in an out-of-competition test eight days later.
Both samples contained trace amounts of clostebol, but he was able to continue playing on the ATP Tour after successfully challenging a provisional suspension.
Scientific experts consulted by the ITIA concluded Sinner's account – that his physiotherapist used an over-the-counter spray containing clostebol on his skin between March 5 and 13 – was credible.
Nick Kyrgios described it as "ridiculous" that Sinner avoided a ban, while other players have taken to social media to allege double standards in similar cases.
Sinner has been stripped of the prize money and ranking points he earned at Indian Wells, where he reached the semifinals before losing in three sets to Carlos Alcaraz.
"I will now put this challenging and deeply unfortunate period behind me," Sinner said in a statement on Tuesday.
"I will continue to do everything I can to ensure I comply with the ITIA's anti-doping program, and I have a team around me that is meticulous in their own compliance."
