Canadian tennis star Denis Shapovalov has put himself in the fans’ crosshairs for his unwillingness to let go of the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s ruling on Jannik Sinner’s doping case. He has been constantly raising his voice against the authority’s treatment of the case, which was lauded at first, but has now been labeled petty.
The 25-year-old took to X to comment on the controversy. He quoted one of his older posts, which read, “Different rules for different players,” and wrote,
I might have to pin this tweet soon https://t.co/owmxAJixlT
— Denis Shapovalov (@denis_shapo) August 24, 2024
Shapovalov has been facing immense scrutiny for constantly talking about Sinner’s doping scandal. His latest post also attracted a slew of scathing responses, as fans accused him of being envious of the world number one.
In theory, true, but given context, you were just jealous. Maybe play better on court?
— Lemon Water (@3ExpressoShots) August 25, 2024
Some asked him to move on from the scandal and focus on improving his game as his protests on social media won’t change the ruling on Sinner’s case.
focus on your game lmao
— ¿P? (@Pollone77) August 24, 2024
Focus on your career mate
— Trey (@shadyphilmc) August 24, 2024
Focus on what you can control! Put your mind to tennis and play better without the drama!
— Graeme Buckrell (@coachbuckrell) August 25, 2024
Shapovalov addressed the accusations of him having a personal vendetta against the reigning Australian Open champion in an exclusive conversation with Tennis Majors,
He clarified that his comments were not aimed at the Italian superstar, but at the authorities for their lack of transparency and uniformity in dealing with scandals. He claimed that the governing body handed out rulings based on the reputation of the player involved rather than the facts of the case. He said,
“Honestly, it has nothing to do with Jannik. To me, it’s just about how they handle every situation differently, depending on what player it is.”
He argued that it’s unfair that some players are allowed to continue playing despite testing positive for a banned substance, while others are given months and years-long bans. Despite fans imploring Shapovalov to move past the scandal, he is seemingly determined to fight against what he believes is partiality.