Jannik Sinner says his and Iga Swiatek’s singles title wins at Wimbledon were made “very special” following the doping cases involving them over the past year.
For the first time in Wimbledon history, both the men’s and women’s champions have served suspensions for banned substances, ensuring that their celebrations have been accompanied by controversy.
With the authorities accepting both players’ insistence that the cases were caused by contamination of medication, many are clearly willing to look past the short bans.
But others are concerned about the impact it could have on the image of tennis.
“I don’t think it’s a good look for the sport,” said Australian Nick Kyrgios, when previewing both Wimbledon finals.
Indeed, minutes after Sinner’s victory on Sunday, the 2022 finalist posted a cryptic asterisk on social media, widely seen as a reflection of the mixed feelings some have about the men’s world number one winning just over two months after completing a doping ban.
When asked by BBC Sport on Monday about those who may feel uneasy about him and Swiatek winning, Sinner said, “Well, me and Iga, 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.
“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.”
Speaking after her victory on Saturday, Swiatek also hinted at the scrutiny she had been under.
“The past months, how the media sometimes described me, how they treated me and my team, it wasn’t really pleasant”, she said. “I hope they will just leave me alone and let me do my job.”
So, what were the details of their cases? How did it all get resolved so they could return to action so soon? How do players and officials feel about it? Does it detract from their achievements? And what does it mean for Wimbledon, and the sport more widely?