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Andy Roddick predicts how long Jannik Sinner will be banned for after the Australian Open

Jannik Sinner (playing, preferably at the Australian Open), with an inset of Andy Roddick
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The decision as to whether Jannik Sinner will receive a ban from tennis will be made on February 11th.

Sinner enjoyed the best year of his young career in 2024, as he won his first two Grand Slam titles and reached world number one.

Sinner won the Australian Open earlier this year, beating Daniil Medvedev in five sets, before adding to his Major tally in New York against Taylor Fritz.

The Italian also added three Masters 1000 titles to his trophy cabinet, with Sinner’s win over Novak Djokovic in Shanghai, a highlight.

2024 Shanghai Rolex Masters - Day 14 (Finals)
Photo by Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the 23-year-old however, as Sinner tested positive for banned substance Clostebol in March.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) initially found no fault or negligence towards Sinner before the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

That ruling is set to take place on February 11, when the tennis world will find out whether or not the world number one will be banned from competition.

Speculation about the length of the ban has intensified this week, following the news of Iga Swiatek’s one-month suspension, for her doping violation.

With two of the sport’s biggest names involved in doping drama, a former world number one has weighed in to predict how long he thinks Sinner will be suspended for.

Andy Roddick predicts how long he thinks Jannik Sinner will be suspended for

Speaking on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, the former world number one gave his thoughts on the Sinner doping case.

“I’m always obsessed with precedent, they will say that the precedent will say that she [Iga Swiatek] was suspended for a month,” he said.

“I don’t know how [Jannik] Sinner gets any less than that.

“Now we’re looking at that February 11th date for Sinner and WADA, does WADA feel like they have to do something?

“I feel like almost at this point they have to do, they’ve set a precedent.”

OLY-2026-TEAM26-VOLUNTEERS-PRESSER-SINNER
Photo by PIERO CRUCIATTI/AFP via Getty Images

Roddick went on to say just how long he thinks Sinner’s suspension will be.

“If it’s three months, which, that kind of has the feels right now,” he said.

“Tough to go six months when Swiatek got a month, tough to go one month when Swiatek got a month, because it was your team, that knowingly was dumb.”

The American also mentioned that he doesn’t believe Sinner was purposefully doping and that if he was, he should be suspended for much longer.

US Open Tennis Championship 2023
Photo by Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images

“All the scientists are telling us that it didn’t enhance performance at all,” he said.

“Then why do we care?

“I just don’t think he would risk his entire career for something that didn’t enhance performance.

“I’ve said it many times: if he knowingly did it and got zero benefit, then I’d take a larger suspension just for stupidity.”

Which tournaments would Jannik Sinner miss with a three-month suspension?

Roddick then went on to explain the permutations of each prospective ban, outlining which tournaments he would miss.

“If it’s one month, March 11th that’s borderline Indian Wells, and can probably play Miami [Open],” he said.

“If we go to April 11th, he misses Indian Wells and Miami which sucks but it isn’t the end of the world.

“If it’s three months, May 11th, Roland Garros starts May 25th.

Banned untilTournaments missed
March 11th (1 month)Indian Wells
April 11th (2 months)Indian Wells, Miami Open
May 11th (3 months)Indian Wells, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open, Italian Open
August 11th (6 months)Indian Wells, Miami Open, Monte-Carlo Masters, Madrid Open, Italian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, Canadian Open, Cincinnati Open
Significant tournaments Jannik Sinner would miss with a suspension

“Even if he gets a three-month suspension he doesn’t miss a Slam, which if you’re Jannik Sinner at this point you go thank you, done.

“If he gets a six-month suspension, that’s brutal, all of a sudden you’re cleared two weeks before the US Open.

“That’s like you’re screwing [him], that’s a big one, and that feels steep.”

Sinner will no doubt be hoping that he doesn’t receive a suspension whatsoever, but if he does, it could quickly put a stop to the momentum he gathered in 2024.

The Italian will find out the results of the hearing on February 11th, after the conclusion of the 2025 Australian Open which begins on January 12.