Serena Williams isn’t holding back. The tennis legend has called out what she sees as a glaring double standard in the handling of doping cases, suggesting that if she had been in Jannik Sinner’s shoes, the consequences would have been far more severe.
In a candid interview with Time magazine—following her inclusion on the 2025 TIME100 list of the world’s most influential people—Williams reflected on the recent doping controversy involving current men’s world No. 1, Jannik Sinner.
“I love the guy, love this game,” she said. “He’s great for the sport. I’ve been put down so much, I don’t want to bring anyone down. Men’s tennis needs him. But if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have had Grand Slams taken away.”
Sinner accepted a three-month suspension earlier this year after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Initially cleared by a tribunal, Sinner tested positive twice for clostebol—an anabolic steroid. He claimed the traces came from a trainer who applied a medicated cream after cutting his finger.
The leniency of the punishment has ignited fierce debate around equity in tennis, especially as it compares to the treatment of female players. Williams, who has never failed a drug test, recalled the extreme care she took during her career.
“I was paranoid,” she admitted. “You would’ve heard about it in another multiverse. I’d have ended up in jail.”
The 43-year-old also cited examples of inconsistent rulings, such as the reduced bans for Iga Swiatek and Simona Halep, who also tested positive for banned substances but were handed shorter suspensions after appeals.
Sinner, the reigning Australian Open and US Open champion, is set to return on May 4.
Although retired since the 2022 US Open, Serena confessed the court still calls to her.
“I miss it a lot, with all my heart. I miss it because I’m healthy. If I couldn’t walk or was out of it, maybe I wouldn’t miss it as much.”
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