Serena Fires Back: "I'd Have Been Locked Out for 20 Years" Over Sinner's Doping Drama

By Lewis Barnett 17 April, 2025 6 mins read 85 Views

God. The double standards in tennis have always been there, but hearing Serena Williams call it out so bluntly this week hit me like a forehand winner down the line.

I was scrolling through my feeds yesterday morning (coffee in hand, still half-asleep) when I saw Serena's brutally honest take on the whole Jannik Sinner doping situation. And she didn't mince words.

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What's That Smell? Oh, Just the Scent of Privilege

Let's get real for a second. Sinner - the current world number one and arguably the hottest property in men's tennis right now - tested positive TWICE for clostebol (that's an anabolic steroid for those who don't speak doping). His punishment? A measly three-month ban that's almost over already.

The excuse? Someone on his team accidentally contaminated him during a massage. I mean... come on.

WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) basically shrugged and said, "Eh, he didn't mean to cheat, it was just his team being careless." And teh tennis world collectively moved on.

Serena Calls BS

In an interview with Time Magazine, Serena didn't hold back: "If I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let's be honest. I would have gotten grand slams taken away from me."

She's right.

I remember back in 2018 when Serena wore that catsuit at the French Open and they practically rewrote the rulebook overnight. But a male player tests positive for a banned substance and it's all "these things happen" energy.

The $72 Million Woman Doesn't Need to Play Nice

What makes Serena's comments even more powerful is that she has nothing to prove anymore. She's built a £260 million business empire since retiring in 2022. Her venture capital fund has invested in 85 different companies (one of which is now worth £2 billion... like, what am I doing with my life?).

She's even a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins, valued at around £4.7 billion. My friend who works in sports investment texted me about this last year. His response: "She's playing chess while everyone else is playing checkers."

So when she speaks about double standards, it hits differently. This isn't someone trying to make excuses or stay relevant. This is someone who's seen it all and can finally say what she thinks.

Wait... Is She Actually Defending Him?

The weird part? Serena actually went out of her way to say nice things about Sinner personally. "Fantastic personality. I love the guy, I love this game. He's great for the sport," she told Time.

And then dropped this bomb: "Men's tennis needs him."

That line stuck with me all day. It wasn't just about calling out hypocrisy - it was acknowledging the brutal truth about how sports business works. The ATP desperately needs stars like Sinner now that the Big Three era is ending.

I spent $400 on tickets to see Sinner play in person last summer. Would've been awkward if he'd been serving a proper suspension...

The Unspoken Reality

Listen. We all know certain athletes get treated differently. My editor bet me $20 that this story wouldn't get picked up by mainstream tennis media the same way as if Serena had said something controversial about, I dunno, dress codes or umpiring.

He was right. I owe him lunch now.

What makes me feel slightly uncomfortable is how casually we accept this. Serena earned £72m in prize money alone during her career, but had to fight tooth and nail against systems that seemed designed to work against her.

Meanwhile... three months for doping violations? Must be nice.

Moving Forward (Or Are We?)

Serena's post-tennis life seems pretty sweet though. Between her investments, family life, and occasional headline-making interviews like this one, she's living her best life without having to deal with the constant scrutiny of being an active player.

And Sinner? He'll be back on court soon like nothing ever happened.

Sometimes I wonder if anything really changes in this sport. Or if we're just watching the same movie with different actors every decade.

I feel stupid now for thinking the playing field would eventually level out. Maybe in another 20 years?

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How To

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Did you miss our previous article...
https://sportingexcitement.com/tennis/raducanus-la-escape-after-vodafone-shows-her-the-door