“Alexander Zverev was not caught with ban substance” – Former tennis pro defends German amid Jannik Sinner doping comparisons
Tennis legend Yevgeny Kafelnikov recently voiced his frustration over Alexander Zverev being dragged into the controversy surrounding Jannik Sinner’s doping ban. The former World No. 1 was baffled by comparisons between a doping case and allegations of sexual harassment, insisting they were entirely different matters.
Kafelnikov has been outspoken in his criticism of Sinner’s settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), going so far as to suggest that players boycott matches against the Italian. However, he took to X (formerly Twitter) to defend Zverev, arguing that the German had no involvement in a doping violation and should not be linked to the debate.
“I am so fed up now!! Why are you drawing parallels between Zverev’s case and Sinner’s, saying that Sasha also made a deal? Are you nuts? Zverev was NOT caught with a banned substance in his system after a doping test!!! So shut the hell up!!!!!” he posted.
Kafelnikov was frustrated that Zverev’s past legal issues were resurfacing in connection to Sinner’s ban. The German had faced sexual harassment accusations from former partners Olya Sharypova and Brenda Patea, ultimately reaching a settlement with Sharypova. However, Kafelnikov insisted that these cases had no relevance to the current doping scandal.
Meanwhile, Sinner’s three-month suspension has sparked debate across the tennis world. WADA’s statement clarified that while the Italian did not intentionally dope, he was held responsible for the actions of his entourage.
Zverev also weighed in on Sinner’s situation, leading to renewed scrutiny of his own off-court history. Speaking at a pre-2025 Rio Open press conference, the German suggested that Sinner’s punishment was too lenient.
“Either you’re at no fault, and you should get no suspension at all—because if you have no fault, then you have no fault. You shouldn’t get punished. But if you do have fault, then I think for taking steroids, three months is not a suspension,” he told CLAY.
With Sinner sidelined, Zverev now has a chance to climb the ATP rankings during the Italian’s absence, adding another layer of intrigue to the ongoing controversy.
