Roger Federer understands frustration over Jannik Sinner doping case - ESPN

NEW YORK — Roger Federer says Jannik Sinner's doping case raises questions about whether the current No. 1-ranked tennis player should have been allowed to continue competing until he was absolved of intentionally using an anabolic steroid he tested positive for twice in March.

«It's not something we want to see in our sport, these types of news, regardless if he did something or not. Or any player did. It's just noise that we don't want. I understand the frustration of: has he been treated the same as others? And I think this is where it comes down to. We all trust pretty much at the end, he didn't do anything,» Federer said Tuesday in an appearance on the «Today» show to promote a book of photos of him. «But the inconsistency, potentially, that he didn't have to sit out while they were not 100 percent sure what was going on — I think that's the question here that needs to be answered.»

Several top players have been asked about Sinner, who is scheduled to face 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the Grand Slam tournament's quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Rafael Nadal told a Spanish television show Monday he doesn't think Sinner received preferential treatment.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Aug. 20 that it was determined that the banned performance-enhancer inadvertently entered Sinner's system through a massage from his physiotherapist, and that is why the player was not suspended.

Asked about the matter in New York before the US Open began, Novak Djokovic said he gets why some tennis players question whether there's a double-standard in the sport.

«It's a tricky situation and it's the nightmare of every athlete and team, to have these allegations and these problems,» Federer said, adding: «We need