Serena Williams questions Jannik Sinner's three-month ban: 'I would have gotten 20 years'

Tennis legend Serena Williams has questioned the preferential treatment meted out to male players. Williams, who won 23 Grand Slam titles, underlined the difference while talking about Jannik Sinner’s doping ban.

World No.1 Sinner is currently serving a three-month ban for clostebol use. The three-month ban was handed to him by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after both parties reached an agreement. The 23-year-old had two positive drug tests in 2024.

Williams feels that if she had committed the same mistake, it would have led to a 20-year ban and the loss of her Grand Slam titles.

“I love the guy (Sinner), love this game,” Williams told Time Magazine. “Men’s tennis needs him. [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."

The 43-year-old Williams also spoke in favour of former tennis competitor Maria Sharapova, who was banned in 2016 for 15 months after testing positive for a substance. Sharapova had claimed that she was not aware the substance had been added to the banned list at the start of 2016.

“Just weirdly and oddly, I can’t help but think about Maria all this time. I can’t help but feel for her,” Williams said.

This is not the first time Williams has raised the issue of being treated badly over doping concerns. In 2018, she had alleged being a victim of ‘discrimination’ due to the frequency of drug tests she was subjected to.

A 2018 article by the website Deadspin revealed that by June that year, Serena Williams had been tested out of competition by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) on five occasions — more than twice as often as other top American players.

Williams also ruled out any possibility of her returning to the court.

“Hopefully I’ll feel better when I feel like, physically, I’m not able to have wins over some people,” she said.

“I’ve given my whole life to tennis. And I would gladly give another two years if I had time. But it’s nice to do something different. I’m content.”