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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner revealed that he endured a difficult period during his recent doping controversy, confessing to restless nights and a loss of passion for tennis.

Although cleared of any wrongdoing, the Italian tennis player acknowledged that the experience had taken a toll on him. He expressed his desire to gradually put the ordeal behind him but acknowledged that the healing process would require time and patience.

Sinner dismissed concerns about favouritism in his doping case, stating that he received no special treatment. He acknowledged that having access to a team of experts helped him navigate the situation, but emphasized that he was held to the same standards as everyone else.

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Sinner's comments come amidst controversy and allegations of double standards from some in the tennis community, particularly ahead of the US Open.

Tennis players Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov, among others, have raised eyebrows over the handling of Sinner's doping case, suggesting he received preferential treatment. Sinner tested positive for Clostebol, a banned steroid, twice in March 2024 - during the Indian Wells tournament and again eight days later in an out-of-competition sample.

Despite this, he avoided sanctions after a successful appeal, allowing him to continue competing. The swift response from Sinner's team helped mitigate the consequences, leading some to question the fairness of the outcome.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) investigated Jannik Sinner's doping case and held a hearing in August, ultimately accepting his account that the banned substance Clostebol entered his system unintentionally through a massage spray used by his physiotherapist. The ITIA determined that the violation was accidental, not deliberate, and therefore imposed no suspension or period of ineligibility, allowing Sinner to continue competing without penalty.

"It's also in the position where you are. Obviously, being where I am, I have the ability to take qualified people. Obviously, if this happens to a different player, it's going to be different, but again, I was treated like everyone else," Jannik Sinner told ESPN.

"There was sleepless nights sometimes, because thinking of this, there were some physical issues, maybe because of that, the first issue came because of the hip in Monaco exactly when it came out."

"The reason why I kept playing is because we (the team) knew exactly how it (the banned substance) entered my system and where this clostebol was from, no? And this was in the spray. All things considered, I have not had any different treatment," he added.

The world's top-ranked men's singles tennis player described the past few months as challenging as he awaited the outcome of his doping case. He appealed to the public to comprehend the reasons behind his permission to continue competing on the tour despite testing positive for a banned substance.

"The process was very long. It was an even bigger wait towards the end, because when you feel like, 'okay, the result is coming', you still don't know what's coming out, but it was not an easy period for me," Sinner said.

Now, with the case behind him, Sinner is eager to shift his focus to the upcoming US Open, where he aims to capture his first title at the prestigious tournament.

"It has been a very tough time. It has been a doubtful time. I am happy that this finally is over, so a lot of weight on my shoulders is gone. I wish none of the players have to go through this. I also hope people understand why they let me keep playing and why I got the no fault," he added.