"It was potentially an honest mistake" - Jannik Sinner's former hitting partner Mike Digby on doping controversy

Jannik Sinner's former hitting partner and WTA's Tamara Zidansek's coach Mike Digby recently commented on the doping controversy surrounding the Italian. Sinner failed two dope tests during the 2024 Indian Wells Open, testing positive for Clostebol.

The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) punished Sinner by docking his ranking points and prize money he earned from the semifinal run at Tennis Paradise. The ITIA notably cleared the player of any wrongdoing on the grounds that he was exposed to the banned substance due to the negligence of his ex-physio Giacomo Naldi.

In a fresh development, however, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has challenged ITIA's ruling and moved the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a ban on the World No. 1.

While talking to Sportskeeda recently, Mike Digby, who has practiced with Sinner multiple times, gave the Italian a clean chit.

"I have practiced with Jannik quite a few times and I can only go of, you know, what I've seen," Digby said. "He's such a genuinely nice guy that will ask you questions, ‘How are you? Where are you from?’ I know it sounds silly, but that goes a long way, I think, in the tennis world because so many people are very insular. They're just focusing on themselves.

"And I get that. And it's really hard for me to think that he did dope. It's hard for me to genuinely think that. I think it was potentially an honest mistake."

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Mike Digby: "Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill deserve all of the success that they've had"

Jannik Sinner with Darren Cahill (L). (Source: Getty)

During the same conversation with Sportskeeda, Mike Digby refrained from judging the ITIA's decision in Jannik Sinner's probe.

"Do I agree with the punishment? I don't know," Digby said. "I haven't got an opinion on that. I also probably don't want to give an opinion on that because I don't know enough. I think it's very difficult to give an opinion if you don't know the real details. And I think that the decision was made. I guess we have to respect that decision."

Tamara Zidansek's coach also praised the Italian and his coach Darren Cahill, saying:

"Sinner is a great guy. Darren's a great coach. And I think they both deserve all of the success that they've had."

Jannik Sinner has been training under Cahill since July 2022, and in 2024, the duo won two Grand Slam titles together — the Australian Open and the US Open.