ROGER FEDERER showed sympathy for Jannik Sinner but questioned whether he had received special treatment over his failed drug test.
Sinner escaped punishment from the ATP despite twice failing tests in March after he was found to have low levels of a metabolite of clostebol (steroids) in his system.
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The world number one was cleared after it was found the Italian had been accidentally contaminated during a massage from his physiotherapist, who used an over-the-counter spray on a cut.
Sinner, 23, was handed a provisional suspension before a successful appeal allowed him to return to court – something Federer has questioned.
The 20-time Grand Slam champion discussed whether Sinner received preferential treatment but did defend the star.
Federer told TODAY: “I understand the frustration of, ‘Has he been treated the same as others?’.
“I think we all trust pretty much that Jannik didn’t do anything, but the inconsistency potentially that he didn’t have to sit out while they weren’t 100 per cent sure what was going on, I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered.
“It’s not something we want to see in our sport – this types of news, regardless if he did something or not, or any player did… it’s just noise that we don’t want.”
Federer also showed compassion for Sinner, describing his situation as a “nightmare”.
He continued: “I understand it’s a tricky situation, it’s the nightmare of every athlete and team to have these allegations and these problems because we fill out these forms all day every day.
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“And it lives with you. Every morning when you wake up, you think, ‘Is somebody at the door coming to test me?’
“So it’s really difficult.”
