'Everyone knows Sinner is totally innocent': Radio host quashes doubts after world No.1's triumph

Jannik Sinner and Nick Kyrgios together at arm's length well before the Italian world No.1's suspension. (Getty/Ryan Pierse)

The First Serve Live host Brett Phillips believes now is the time to move on from finger-pointing at newly crowned Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner amid criticism relating to two positive drug tests.

Sinner, 23, defeated main rival Carlos Alcaraz in four sets at the All England Club to become the first Italian to win the title at SW19.

The world No.1 has won three major titles since testing positive for a banned substance named clostebol at Indian Wells in March 2024.

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He was suspended for less than a week by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) and had his Indian Wells prize money stripped, but the two-time Australian Open champion presented evidence to prove that the substance entered his system through a massage given by his then physio, Giacomo Naldi.

Instead of attending a court hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) scheduled for April this year, Sinner accepted a three-month ban from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) at the beginning of February, having both entered a case resolution agreement.

Moments after Sinner's victory at Wimbledon, outspoken Aussie Nick Kyrgios was quick to cause a stir online by posting an asterisk on X, reaching 3.5 million people on the platform.

"I like Jannik Sinner, but the PED failed tests will add an asterisk to everything he accomplishes for the rest of his career," one person commented.

Another fan added: "I love Sinner, but you're joking if you don't think a title from Jannik would come with a pretty sizeable asterisk."

However, now that Sinner has done his time and with an independent tribunal ruling that he bore "no fault or negligence" for the two violations of the Tennis Anti-Doping Program (TADP), should there be cynicism?

"This has nothing to do with Jannik Sinner," Phillips said on Monday's edition of The First Serve Live when responding to a caller who voiced his scepticism.

"The powers to be... whatever decision they've made has nothing to do with Jannik. He's just going about his business as a professional.

"I don't want to even backtrack here because everyone knows that Jannik Sinner was totally innocent. Yes, got caught up in a situation that is extremely unfortunate.

"Now, what the powers to be decide is their decision. He doesn't control that. He presents his case, they got on the front foot, and the powers to be can decide whether you're out for a month, three months, six months, two years.

"Yes, you can say that maybe as the world No.1 that he had some extra legal support that can come in and fast-track the whole situation, but I don't think we even need to bring that up to be totally honest."

In an interview with the BBC just 24 hours after his memorable title win, Sinner addressed strong resentment from parts of the tennis world.

"Well, me and Iga (Świątek), we actually talked yesterday about this, and we've been celebrating in a way even more, because it was a very difficult time for her and also for me, and only me and my team and the people who are close to me know exactly how it went," he said.

"There are always going to be some people who believe in you and [who] do not, but this is in everything. So yeah, in a way, it's very special, because it was very, very stressful the time on the last four or five months."

Late last year, Świątek, who also won her first Wimbledon title, tested positive for a banned substance but received a one-month suspension.

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