Serena Williams on Jannik Sinner doping case: ‘I would have been banned for 20 years’

Serena Williams says she would have been banned for 20 years and had some of her Grand Slam titles taken away if she had committed the same anti-doping offence as men’s world number one Jannik Sinner.

Italy’s Sinner, 23, is serving a three-month doping ban after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) over two positive drugs tests last year.

Former world number one Williams, winner of 23 Grand Slam titles, claimed in 2018 that she was a victim of “discrimination” over the volume of drug tests she was required to carry out.

An article published by website Deadspin in 2018 revealed that Williams had been tested out of competition by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada) on five occasions by June that year – more than twice as many times as other top American players.

“I love the guy, I love his game. 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,” the retired Williams said of Sinner in an interview with Time, external.

“[But] if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me.”

Sinner, who won the Australian Open in January, accepted an immediate three-month ban in February after he twice tested positive for the banned substance clostebol in March 2024.

Wada had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas) seeking a ban of up to two years after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of any fault or negligence last year.

Williams, 43, joked that a similar case during her own career would have put her “in jail”, adding: “You would have heard about it in another multiverse.”