Jannik Sinner has revealed that he and Iga Swiatek discussed their respective drugs bans following their Wimbledon triumphs at the weekend.
The Italian claimed his maiden Wimbledon crown on Sunday with a four-set victory over Carlos Alcaraz, whilst Swiatek dominated Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in Saturday's women's final.
Speaking to the BBC on Monday, Sinner disclosed that the pair had celebrated their victories with added significance given their recent troubles.
"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," he explained.
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|Jannik Sinner has revealed that he and Iga Swiatek discussed their respective drugs bans following their Wimbledon triumphs at the weekend
Both players served suspensions earlier this year following positive drugs tests.
Sinner received a three-month ban in February after reaching an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), whilst Swiatek accepted a one-month suspension last November for testing positive for the banned substance trimetazidine.
The pair have now accumulated 10 Grand Slam titles between them. Their Wimbledon victories marked significant milestones, with Sinner securing his first title at the All England Club and Swiatek delivering a dominant performance in the women's final.
PA | Jannik Sinner was too strong for Carlos Alcaraz in Sunday's Wimbledon finalThe Italian's triumph came after a tense four-set battle against defending champion Alcaraz, whilst Swiatek's straight-sets demolition of Anisimova showcased her return to peak form following her suspension.
Reflecting on the challenges both players faced, Sinner acknowledged the scrutiny that comes with such situations.
"There are always going to be some people who believe in you and who [do] not, but this is in everything," he said.
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The world No 1 admitted the ordeal had taken its toll on him mentally.
"So yeah, in a way it's very special, because it was very, very stressful, the time on the last four or five months," Sinner added.
His comments suggest both players found solace in their shared experiences, with their Wimbledon successes providing vindication after months of uncertainty and public scrutiny over their respective doping cases.
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Sinner has consistently maintained his innocence, claiming contamination occurred when his former physiotherapist used the banned steroid Clostebol on his own finger before treating the player.
In a statement released through his lawyers earlier this year, Sinner said: "This case had been hanging over me for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year."
PA | Iga Swiatek delivered a devastating performance at Wimbledon on Saturday, crushing Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the women's singles final
Swiatek expressed similar shock at her positive test, which the International Tennis Integrity Agency attributed to medication contamination.
"It was a blow for me, I was shocked and this whole situation made me very anxious," she said in a video statement, adding that she had "never heard about" trimetazidine before.