Novak slams handling of major doping cases

Novak Djokovic

On the eve of his return to the court at the Brisbane International, Novak Djokovic has weighed in on tennis' high-profile doping cases and criticised what he perceives as double standards in the sport. The former World No. 1, who is chasing a record 25th Grand Slam title at next month's Australian Open, expressed his frustration Sunday at being "kept in the dark" regarding top-ranked Jannik Sinner's doping case.

Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek

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"I'm not questioning whether [Sinner] took the banned substance intentionally or not," Djokovic said at a press conference Sunday. "Some players with lower rankings are waiting for their case to be resolved for over a year. I've been really frustrated ... to see we've been kept in the dark for at least five months [on the Sinner case]."

"The ATP hasn't really talked in depth about it. Why have they kept that case away from the public? We see Simona Halep's case on the WTA Tour, now Iga Swiatek's case," Djokovic said. "It's not a good image for our sport. I'm just questioning the way the system works and why certain players aren't treated the same as others," he added. Djokovic also spoke glowingly about one of his old rivals, Andy Murray, who has now teamed up with the Serbian for the Australian Open.

"He has a unique perspective on my game as one of the greatest rivals I've had. He knows the pros and cons of my game. He played until recently, so he knows all the other best players currently in the world and the weaknesses and strengths in their game. He's very meticulous, very dedicated," he said. Djokovic also stated that he intends to play at the very top level for the foreseeable future. "The way I'm feeling today, I still think that I can go strong for years to come," said Djokovic.

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