Serena Williams believes she would have faced a “20-year ban” and been stripped of her titles if she had a similar doping violation as Jannik Sinner.
Jannik Sinner, currently ranked number one in the world, is nearing the end of a three-month suspension after testing positive twice for clostebol, an illegal anabolic steroid.
Sinner, 23, reached an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after stating that the positive test was due to unintentional contamination during a massage by a team member.
WADA accepted that the Australian and US Open champion “did not intend to cheat” and attributed the result to “negligence of his entourage.”
However, Williams, who retired in 2022 after winning 23 Grand Slam titles, believes Sinner has been treated too leniently.
She considers the Italian player crucial to the popularity of men’s tennis today.
Williams stated to Time Magazine: “Fantastic personality. I love the guy, I love this 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.
"If I did that (tested positive for doping), I would have gotten 20 years. Let's be honest. I would have gotten grand slams taken away from me."
Since retiring from tennis, Williams has developed a business empire valued at £260 million.
Prior to this, she had already earned £72 million in tennis prize money.
She now earns income from various sectors, from sports teams to cosmetics, through her venture capital fund.
Serena Ventures has invested in at least 85 companies, one of which is valued at £2 billion.
Williams also holds a minority stake in the £4.7 billion NFL team, the Miami Dolphins.
