Why Jannik Sinner did not lose World No. 1 ranking to Novak Djokovic despite ranking point penalty after failed drug test punishment?

The tennis fraternity was left in shock after it came to light that Jannik Sinner had tested positive for a banned substance. He tested positive for Clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, during the Indian Wells Masters in March.

Sinner was provisionally suspended and was able to overturn it after challenging it. He has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). The amount found in his system was negligible, and it was deemed to be unintentional as well.

No one had any inkling about this entire ordeal until it was made public yesterday (August 20), which makes the matter appear more suspicious than it is. The Italian didn't escape completely unscathed and was stripped of his ranking points and prize money he gained during the Indian Wells Masters.

However, that won't affect the current ranking in any manner. Sinner reached the semifinals in the California desert, for which he received 400 points and $325,000. He currently has 9360 ranking points, and after the deduction of his points from Indian Wells, he'll be left with 8960 points.

Novak Djokovic, currently ranked No. 2, has 7460 points, so the removal of Sinner's points has no bearing at the moment. However, the math gets a lot more complicated if the rankings are adjusted retroactively.

For starters, had this incident come to light before last week's rankings update, the Serb would've ascended to the top. Sinner had 8770 points last week, and Djokovic had 8460 points, so the loss of 400 points would've knocked the Italian from the top. How the ATP sorts out this mess in a fair manner is yet to be seen.

---

Tennis players have a strong reaction to Jannik Sinner's drug test news

Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Jannik Sinner's drug test report has evoked sharp reactions from his fellow tennis players. Nick Kyrgios has never been the one to mince his words and stated that the Italian should have been handed a two-year ban.

"Ridiculous - whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice," - Nick Kyrgios' thoughts on Jannik Sinner.

While Sinner's matter was dealt with utmost urgency, not all players are fortunate enough to receive such treatment. Denis Shapovalov felt that was quite unfair, and expressed the same.

"Different rules for different players," - Denis Shapovalov on X (formerly Twitter).

With this whole affair coming to light on the heels of the US Open, Sinner will be under intense scrutiny. He has won five titles this year, including the Australian Open, and the recently concluded Cincinnati Open. He's among the favorites to win in New York, though it remains to be seen how he deals with the newfound pressure.