"It was not a nice thing": Former doubles No. 1 deeply regrets certain Jannik Sinner comments made after doping ban

Former Australian Open CEO Paul McNamee recently walked back a remark he had made towards Jannik Sinner following the Italian's French Open final loss to Carlos Alcaraz. The Aussie maintained that his implications that the Spaniard winning the five-set bout was the "right" way for things to transpire last week were ill-conceived.

Sinner had accepted a three-month doping ban from WADA earlier this year following his third Major triumph in Melbourne. The Italian made a successful comeback in May by finishing runner-up to World No. 2 Alcaraz in Rome, before repeating the same result at Roland Garros last Sunday (June 9) albeit in five sets.

Following the second seed's victory over his arch-rival, former doubles World No. 1 McNamee took to his social media handle to claim that "it wouldn't have felt right" if the 23-year-old came through to secure the coveted Coupe des Mousequetaires in Paris.

"Sinner played an incredible match, but it wouldn’t have felt right if he won, being on clay and all. So, for me, the right guy won today," Paul McNamee wrote on his X handle last Sunday.

However, the 70-year-old apologized for his comments surrounding Jannik Sinner's latest defeat later on Wednesday (June 11).

"I am sorry I made the remark inferring that 'justice' was done when Sinner lost the match… at the end of the day, it was not a nice thing to say," he wrote on X on Wednesday.

Interestingly, McNamee had also questioned the direction in which tennis was headed after Sinner had mounted an early lead in the 2025 French Open men's summit clash on Sunday before eventually losing 4-6, 6-7(4), 6-4, 7-6(3), 7-6(2) in five hours and 29 minutes.

"So many, including Fed, saying tennis was the winner. Yet, when a guy playing linear power tennis can go within a breath of beating a player with such flair, power and artistry…on the greatest of clay courts, for me that’s a sobering warning to ask where we’re headed as a sport?" he had wrote on his X account on Sunday.

Another former player, Mark Petchey, also had choice words for Jannik Sinner after the latter's defeat to Carlos Alcaraz last week.

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"I think there is a lot of people who feel that Jannik Sinner did not pay a price" - Mark Petchey

Jannik Sinner looks on during French Open 2025 final | Image Source: Getty

Currently working with Emma Raducanu on part-time basis, the Brit said in his analysis for TNT Sports on Sunday that the Italian had finally faced the unfavorable repercussions from his three-month doping ban.

"I think there is a lot of people who feel that he did not pay a price when he had his three months away from the game," Mark Petchey said. "He paid his price today. He has not played a lot of big matches in recent months and I think the emotional toll, as well as he did to turn things around and make a revival in the fifth set, was crucial for him against someone like Carlos Alcaraz."

Jannik Sinner, meanwhile, will defend his Halle Open title next week before playing Wimbledon.