Andy Roddick reveals what happened to the last tennis player who tested positive for Clostebol as Jannik Sinner given three month ban

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Jannik Sinner will be out of tennis action for three months as he serves his doping suspension.

The Italian world number one had expected to compete at this week’s Qatar Open in Doha before the blockbuster news dropped over the weekend.

Sinner was banned from tennis for three months, having tested positive for the banned substance Clostebol in 2024.

The 23-year-old will likely return to action at his home Italian Open in May and will do so having not lost a match on the ATP Tour in 215 days.

Many have questioned the timing of Sinner’s suspension, as the three-time Major champion will still be able to compete at all four Grand Slam tournaments in 2025.

A six-month suspension would’ve seen the Italian skip both the French Open and Wimbledon, although his shorter-than-expected ban, will now allow him to restart his Grand Slam campaign at Roland Garros.

As fans, pundits, and players question the length of Sinner’s ban, one ATP Tour legend has looked back on a similar case, comparing the severity of punishments.

Andy Roddick reveals the last player to test positive for Clostebol wasn’t banned from tennis at all

Speaking on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast, former world number one Andy Roddick looked back on the last tennis player to test positive for Clostebol.

“[Marco] Bortolotti, who is an Italian player, his career-high doubles ranking is 102,” he said.

“So not exactly someone who if it is a club or if the system is rigged, not exactly someone who Andrea Gaudenzi who is an Italian CEO would protect, it does no service to do that for someone who nobody really knows outside of the Challenger circuit of tennis.

“Bortolotti goes through and proves that there was no intent.

“Guess what he got suspended for?

“Zero, nothing, not three months.”

Bortolotti tested positive for Clostebol at a 2023 Challenger Tour event in Lisbon but did not receive a suspension, as the International Tennis Integrity Agency [ITIA] explained in a statement last year.

“Given all the circumstances, and consideration of recent comparable case law, the ITIA accepted that the player [Bortolotti] established the source of the Clostebol metabolite in their urine sample, and that they could not reasonably have been expected to take further precautions in relation to their exposure to a prohibited substance,” they said.

“In addition, no provisional suspension came into effect as a result of Bortolotti’s prompt explanation and timely validation from scientific experts.  

“Bortolotti’s results, prize money, and ranking points from the Lisbon Challenger have been disqualified; however, as the player bore No Fault or Negligence, no subsequent results of the player will be disqualified.”

Roddick went on to say that Bortolotti’s case proves that Sinner wasn’t given preferential treatment, as many have suggested.

“A case could be made that because of the high profile nature of Sinner’s case, he got three months as opposed to the guy who was ranked triple digits and got nothing,” he said.

“It’s almost like you could say that there was an example made in that case.

“Favouritism, you kind of lose that argument based on the most recent precedent that was set before Jannik Sinner, which was Bortolotti for the same substance.

“He got zero.”

What happened to other top tennis players when they returned from doping suspensions?

Sinner isn’t the only top ATP or WTA star to have received a suspension for a doping violation, but how did others fare, upon their returns to the sport.

Marin Cilic remains the only player to have won a singles Major title following a doping suspension, lifting the trophy at Flushing Meadows just one year after returning from his four-month ban.

Sinner will no doubt look to Cilic for inspiration as he searches for a fourth Grand Slam title at the French Open in May.

Marco Bortolotti: Age, ranking and career titles

Bortolotti’s positive Clostebol test in 2023 didn’t phase him, as he rose to his career-high ranking one year later.

The 34-year-old Italian specializes in doubles, where he has enjoyed success on the Challenger Tour, picking up seven titles with several different partners.

Bortolotti reached a career-high of 87th in doubles last year and is currently ranked 109th in the world.

The doubles star was selected as a member of Italy’s 2023 United Cup squad but failed to make an appearance as the team lost 4-0 to the United States in the final.

Approaching the latter stages of his career, it remains to be seen if Bortolotti will receive another call-up to represent his country.

Bortolotti last appeared at the Tenerife Challenger event earlier this month, losing out in the quarter-finals.