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Both Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek, the newly crowned Wimbledon champions, served suspensions last year after testing positive for banned substances.
Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam winner, tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample taken in August 2024 and served a one-month suspension. Sinner served a three-month suspension for the substance clostebol.
Many, including former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash, don't believe Sinner and Swiatek intentionally doped. Cash called those who think otherwise "crazy."
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"I've read so much nonsense on social media, people accusing Jannik and Iga of being cheats," Cash said. "It's incredibly sad to talk about people that way. Before you criticize someone, do your homework. It only takes ten minutes. Swiatek and Sinner were given contaminated substances. They couldn't have affected their performance. If you think WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) and the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) didn't do everything necessary to determine guilt, you're completely crazy. So stop with this misinformation. They are not cheats. They're the best in the world for a reason." - Pat Cash
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Cash added that Sinner and Swiatek's Wimbledon victories reflect their talent and hard work.
"They are incredible athletes, determined and focused. Their mental strength is amazing. Just think what Sinner went through. It's time to accept their greatness and stop harassing them just because your favorite players didn't win."
One of Cash's statements, however, is likely to draw criticism: "Were their cases expedited? Probably. That's how it should have been. So let's celebrate the champions."
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