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Eurosport star and former world No 7 Barbara Schett has questioned the “insane” way that Leylah Fernandez is treated by her father Jorge.

Player welfare and treatment from coaches are back in the spotlight amid the controversy surrounding Elena Rybakina’s relationship with Stefano Vukov.

Croatian Vukov has been suspended for a year by the WTA, who found he had breached their code of conduct by mentally abusing his former charge.

Rybakina has stuck by her former coach, who she attempted to bring back into her team in January, and has bemoaned a lack of support from other WTA players on tour.

Speaking to Kicker, Schett claimed that players were “afraid of personal consequences” should they speak out on such situations.

However, she also raised her concerns about the dynamic between current world No 28 Fernandez and her father.

She said: “The problem is that many players don’t dare to say anything because they’re afraid of personal consequences.

“For example, I was incredibly afraid of Jelena Dokic’s father. I would probably never have said anything because I thought he would kill me.

“It was perhaps a little different with Dokic than with Rybakina because she was also beaten, but in your mid-20s you may not yet know what is really going on.

“Perhaps you don’t find it as tragic as you do later. But I believe that a number of players have already spoken to the WTA about Rybakina and Vukov. It is important that anonymity is maintained because they are simply afraid.

“And I am also curious to see what happens to Leylah Fernandez’s father because the way he treats his daughter is insane. It is terrible that something like this still exists today and is sometimes accepted.”

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Former world No 13 and 2021 US Open runner-up Fernandez has been coached by her father across her career, winning three WTA Tour titles.

Originally from Ecuador, Jorge moved to Canada as a child and was a semi-professional footballer before turning his attention to tennis coaching, working with daughters Leylah and Bianca despite a lack of experience.

WTA star Fernandez has never publicly raised concerns regarding her father and has yet to respond to Schett’s comments.

However, speaking at the Australian Open back in January 2023, the 22-year-old praised her father for helping to improve her mental strength.

“Mental is extremely important. I’m very grateful my parents, especially my dad, has reinforced that,” she said.

“He hasn’t really taught me about tennis or technique but more of the mental side of the sport. Because it’s hard. You’re all alone out there on the court.

“Most of the time you don’t have a coach with you, or the coach can’t talk to you during points.”

Fernandez last played at the Dubai Tennis Championships last week, where she was beaten in round one by Elise Mertens.

She is next set to be in action at Indian Wells, which begins next week.

Read Next: WTA Indian Wells 2025 Entry List: Emma Raducanu gets direct entry as big name wildcard confirmed

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Eurosport star Barbara Schett has called for more clarity in future doping cases amid the fallout from Jannik Sinner’s three-month suspension.

It was announced last week that world No 1 Sinner, a three-time Grand Slam champion, would serve a three-month ban after twice testing positive for clostebol in March 2024.

The Italian was initially handed no suspension in August 2024 after being found of “no fault” by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), with the 23-year-old successfully claiming he had accidentally been contaminated by his physio.

This ruling was then appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in September 2024 and the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS) was set to oversee their appeal this coming April.

However, WADA and Sinner have settled on a three-month suspension without the need for a CAS hearing, with the world No 1 banned from competing until May 4th.

That means he can return at his home event, the Italian Open in Rome, before playing at Roland Garros later in May.

The case has attracted attention from the tennis and wider sporting world as a whole, with Sinner, the ITIA, and WADA all facing criticism from some quarters.

Speaking to Kicker, former world No 7 Schett claimed that the manner of the settlement was “strange” and called for WADA to introduce “more precise” rules to avoid such controversy in the future.

“The news came surprisingly early for me, because it was originally said that a decision would be made in April,” said Schett.

“I find the wording interesting, that a joint solution was found. That sounds kind of strange. Is he guilty now or not?

“WADA said that he did not intentionally dope and he was banned anyway. It’s a bit confusing, but the three months are obviously good for him. The timing is ideal, because he can play again in Rome.

“Of course, that caused a sh*tstorm, especially on social media, because everyone has an opinion these days.

“Personally, I believe his story. But what I would also like to say is that just because you know someone and like them doesn’t mean they’re innocent. But I really think it was a mistake on the part of his physiotherapist. And Jannik must now face the consequences.

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“In my opinion, the problem is the opaque process and the way the WADA and the CAS handle things. Many players have the impression that they can now negotiate with the WADA about the length of their ban. Nobody knows what’s going on anymore.

“In my opinion, the WADA needs to create more precise and stricter rules so that there is more clarity in future cases.”

Sinner has not played since winning the Australian Open in January and was forced to withdraw from the Qatar Open once his ban was confirmed.

The Italian will also be unable to defend his Miami Open title next month and will miss further Masters 1000 events in Indian Wells, Monte Carlo, and Madrid during his suspension.

Schett was also asked about Iga Swiatek’s case, with the five-time Grand Slam champion having served a one-month suspension after testing positive for TMZ in August 2024.

The Austrian admitted the two cases did not put tennis “in a good light” but further claimed that it needed to be “easier” to understand rulings and processes regarding doping.

She added: “It is of course not good that a world number 1 was banned twice. This definitely did not put tennis in a good light.

“What was strange about Iga was that her punishment was split. The whole system needs to be revised. It must be easier for journalists, tennis fans and everyone who loves the sport to understand the processes.

“And if there is a positive test, the public should be informed immediately.”

Read Next: ATP Indian Wells 2025 Entry List: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev headline as two wildcards revealed

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Eurosport star Barbara Schett has confirmed that Elena Rybakina and Stefano Vukov are in a “private relationship” as she accused the Croatian of “brainwashing” the former Wimbledon champion.

Vukov, who coached Rybakina from 2019 until their initial split in August 2024, is currently serving a one-year suspension after being found guilty of breaching the WTA Tour’s code of conduct.

The suspension was confirmed earlier this month, after a report by The Athletic in January 2025 revealed he was under investigation by the WTA.

Former world No 3 Rybakina had announced at the start of 2025 that Vukov would be rejoining her team, though the investigation – and now suspension – bars him from attaining tournament accreditation.

Further reporting from The Athletic later revealed that Vukov had subjected Rybakina to mental abuse and had reportedly bombarded her with texts following their initial split ahead of the 2024 US Open.

Reports also claimed that the pair had shared a hotel room in Melbourne last month amid the Kazakh’s Australian Open campaign, with the WTA ruling it was likely the two were in a romantic relationship.

This has seemingly now been confirmed by former world No 7 Schett who, speaking to Kicker, revealed she had spoken to Rybakina’s former coach Goran Ivanisevic in the aftermath of their split.

She said: “In my opinion, he [Vukov] subjected Elena to complete brainwashing.

“You can see how he treats her and how he speaks to her. Things escalated at the 2024 US Open and the team and family tried to remove him.

“We know that she has major ups and downs mentally, probably because of him. He definitely abused her mentally and that’s why I think it’s right that he was banned from the WTA.

“I spoke about the subject for a long time with Goran Ivanisevic. He said the problem is that they are in a private relationship.

“Vukov wants to sneak in and get his place on the team back. That is obviously a disaster. He has to get out of her life after everything he has done.

“I heard in Australia what he shouted from the players’ box. That is simply not acceptable. That is why I think it is great that the WTA is protecting its players and has drawn consequences.”

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Rybakina has refused to publicly condemn Vukov since news of the investigation and suspension emerged and revealed that she was “disappointed” in the WTA’s ruling.

The Kazakh is currently without a permanent coach, with Ivanisevic ending their short partnership after her fourth round exit to Madison Keys in Melbourne.

World No 7 Rybakina contested a busy Middle East swing, which saw her reach the last four in Abu Dhabi, the last eight in Doha, and the last four in Dubai.

She is set to return to action at Indian Wells, where she will be playing for the first time since her run to the title in 2023, having withdrawn from her 2024 title defence due to illness.

Read Next: The 9 youngest players to reach top 10 of WTA Rankings: ft. Steffi Graf, Monica Seles, Martina Hingis

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Emma Raducanu will be offered increased security if she plays the Indian Wells Open after a man exhibiting “fixated behaviour” followed her to her last four tournaments.

A worrying incident took place during Raducanu‘s 6-7(6), 4-6 loss to Karolina Muchova in the second round of the WTA 1000 event in Dubai last week.

After falling 0-2 behind in the first set, a visibly distressed Raducanu spoke to the umpire before hiding behind the official’s chair while crying. Muchova consoled Raducanu, while the umpire spoke to security officials and also had a lengthy discussion with both players before the match resumed.

A man was removed from the stadium during this break, and the WTA later revealed that the same individual had first approached Raducanu in public the day before the match.

A statement from the WTA Tour read: “On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour.

“This same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and subsequently ejected. He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.

The man – confirmed to be a tourist in Dubai – has since been handed a restraining order, in return for having charges against him dropped.

Raducanu, who has returned to the UK following the harrowing experience, is next due to compete at the WTA 1000 tournament in Indian Wells, which will be held from March 5-16.

According to The Times, the 22-year-old is “likely to be offered up to five extra security guards when she is on site at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.”

It is also possible that some of the guards could accompany the 2021 US Open champion off-site to her accommodation.

The WTA Tour’s vice-president of security, Bob Campbell, is in charge of arrangements and has vast experience having been a United States Secret Service agent between 1983 and 2003.

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Roman Kelecic coached Raducanu as a junior and worked with her at the tournaments in Abu Dhabi and Dubai this month.

The Croatian coach has revealed that the same man who stalked Raducanu in Dubai also followed the Brit to her previous three events in Doha, Abu Dhabi and Singapore.

“This man followed her to Singapore, to Abu Dhabi where I was with her, again in Doha, now in Dubai and we noticed him,” Kelecic told Croatian outlet Net.

“But initially we thought he was a fan, an admirer, because Emma is a really big tennis star with a huge fan base. Until he got physically close to her, started having contact in the form of selfies, hugging, etc.

“That was the only moment in a month where I, the fitness coach, the security guard who was with us, was not with her at that moment.

“So, that man was assessing the situation and looking for the best moment to get closer to her. He had a strategy that was terrifying, he thought everything through, calculated it.

“It’s terrifying how much he, in essence, thought about it all and planned it. His strategy worked, and it was to get closer to her.”

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu ‘could be seeded’ for French Open after huge boost

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Emma Raducanu has secured automatic entry into the Indian Wells WTA 1000 tournament and that could be crucial to her rankings ambitions for the rest of this year.

Raducanu reached the third round in Indian Wells last year and will be defending 65 points when she returns to the desert to play on her favoured hard courts next month.

She will then have a big chance to build on her ranking when she plays at the Miami Open later in March, which is another WTA 1000 tournament that offers huge ranking points.

Once again, she was relying on a wild card to gain entry into the Miami Open last year and was forced to pull out due to injury without hitting a ball in Florida, but she should gain direct entry this year.

While Raducanu’s form in 2025 has been indifferent after four successive losses prior to her solitary win against Greece’s Maria Sakkari in last week’s Dubai tournament, the 2021 US Open champion will be eager to find some winning consistency over the next few weeks.

She is currently ranked at No 54 in the live rankings and would only need to win two or three matches in Indian Wells and Miami to secure a return to the top 50.

Raducanu’s ranking did not secure her entry into last year’s French Open, but there is a chance she could be seeded for the second Grand Slam tournament of 2025 if she has strong performances in Indian Wells and Miami, before she is set to play at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in mid-April.

The bulk of the ranking points Raduacanu needs to defend in the coming months will be up for grabs in the grass court season, after she enjoyed strong performances in WTA Tour events in Nottingham and Eastbourne last year, before reaching the last-16 at Wimbledon.

The Brit had a relatively light tournament schedule in the second half of 2024 so that will again offer up opportunities for rankings leaps if she can stay fit and use her improved ranking to play in more events.

So while Raducanu has faced some criticism for her inconsistent performances in recent weeks, the picture could look a lot brighter for the 22-year-old heading into the French Open.

In the opinion of former British No 1 Tim Henman, Raducanu could be back in the top 30 of the WTA Rankings if she stays fit, as he suggests her best form is good enough to compete with the game’s top players.

“If she can stay healthy and competes a lot, the results will come because she’s that good,” said Sky Sports Tennis analyst Henman.

“If she wasn’t good enough, you’d say she has to pick her tournaments and play some weaker events. With Emma, if she stays healthy, I’m convinced the results will follow.

“I never thought it was about her level. When she has played, her level has always been very good, but if you look at the breakdown of her ranking last year, I think she played 33 matches and 11 of them were on grass.

“When you look at the other 10 months of the year, to have only played 22 matches is so few. She is aware of that, I’m sure, and she will get a coach at the right moment, but for me, the physical work she is doing is most significant.

“I’ve always been a big, big advocate of playing matches. I always played a lot of matches.

“I think the challenge for Raducanu is around physical resilience.

“You talk about Katie Boulter and all the improvements that she made. Yes, she has got better as a tennis player, her movement has improved, but it’s also the resilience to be able to play that full schedule.

“You saw Katie at the end of the year playing four or five tournaments in a row. She made a final in Hong Kong, at the last event of the year and finished in the top 25.

“Raducanu has had a decent year going from sort of 300 into the top 60 but, when you look at the amount of tennis she’s played, she hasn’t played a great deal. If she builds up that resilience, every time she steps on the court, she was playing good tennis.

“Therefore, top 50, top 30 in 2025, I think is completely realistic.”

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Raducanu will be keen to get back on court after a disturbing incident marred her exit in Dubai last week, as a man displaying “fixated behaviour” confronted her before her second-round defeat to Karolina Muchova.

The individual reportedly handed Raducanu a letter the day before her match with Muchova before he was then spotted in the crowd during her match.

A statement from the Women’s Tennis Association revealed that Raducanu had been approached in a public area by a man the day before she faced Muchova.

“On Monday, February 17, Emma Raducanu was approached in a public area by a man who exhibited fixated behaviour,” a WTA statement read.

“This same individual was identified in the first few rows during Emma’s match on Tuesday at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships and subsequently ejected. He will be banned from all WTA events pending a threat assessment.

“Player safety is our top priority, and tournaments are advised on security best practices for international sporting events.

“The WTA is actively working with Emma and her team to ensure her well-being and provide any necessary support.

“We remain committed to collaborating with tournaments and their security teams worldwide to maintain a safe environment for all players.”

Indian Wells 2025 WTA Singles Entry List and Projected Seeds (based on WTA Rankings as of 24 February 2025)

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3. Coco Gauff
4. Jessica Pegula
5. Madison Keys
6. Jasmine Paolini
7. Elena Rybakina
8. Qinwen Zheng
9. Mirra Andreeva
10. Emma Navarro
11. Paula Badosa
12. Daria Kasatkina
13. Diana Shnaider
14. Danielle Collins
15. Karolina Muchova
16. Barbora Krejcikova
17. Beatriz Haddad Maia
18. Amanda Anisimova
19. Marta Kostyuk
20. Donna Vekic
21. Ekaterina Alexandrova
22. Yulia Putintseva
23. Clara Tauson
24. Elina Svitolina
25. Liudmila Samsonova
26. Katie Boulter
27. Jelena Ostapenko
28. Leylah Fernandez
29. Elise Mertens
30. Maria Sakkari
31. Magdalena Frech
32. Linda Noskova
Ons Jabeur
Anna Kalinskaya
Anastasia Potapova
Victoria Azarenka
Marketa Vondrousova
Magda Linette
Xinyu Wang
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Olga Danilovic
Naomi Osaka
Marie Bouzkova
Rebecca Sramkova
Lulu Sun
Peyton Stearns
Karolina Pliskova
Elina Avanesyan
Anhelina Kalinina
Dayana Yastremska
Ashlyn Krueger
Veronika Kudermetova
Camila Osorio
Katerina Siniakova
Yue Yuan
Emma Raducanu
McCartney Kessler
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Polina Kudermetova
Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Ann Li
Moyuka Uchijima
Viktoriya Tomova
Sorana Cirstea
Mayar Sherif
Renata Zarazua
Suzan Lamens
Katie Volynets
Kamilla Rakhimova
Varvara Gracheva
Anna Blinkova
Lucia Bronzetti
Jaqueline Cristian
Petra Kvitova (WC)
Irina Begu (PR)
Lauren Davis (PR)
Caty McNally (PR)

READ NEXT: Emma Raducanu can expect ‘gifts’ as she signs up for new Queen’s Club tournament

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Former British No 1 Laura Robson has given an insight into how tennis tournaments are organised after she took on the role of tournament director for the WTA 500 event at the Queen’s Club in June.

A reshuffle of the grass-court events leading up to Wimbledon has seen the creation of a WTA 500 tournament beginning on June 9, the week before the traditional men’s event.

Naomi Osaka, Madison Keys, Daria Kasatkina, Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu are among the players who have signed up to play at Queen’s Club, as women’s tennis returns to the historic venue for the first time in For the first time first time since 1973.

The men’s tournament at the Queen’s Club is consistently voted by players as their favourite ATP 500 event each year and now Robson is aiming for that title with WTA players.

“The most popular WTA 500 event is Charleston and as long as I can do better than them, I’ll be happy,” said Robson at a Sky Sports Tennis event, referencing the largest female-only professional tennis tournament in North America.

“It’s small little things like gifting every day and practice court availability. That’s how you can keep players happy, so that’s my No 1 goal.

“It’s a new event, so you never know how it’s going to go. I’m very positive about it and I think it’s going to be great for the players involved.

“The logistics are very hard because it’s a members club and they are used to having a lot of their own spaces and we have taken over the women’s dressing room for the first time.

“It’s a small club and that space on site is what it is. We can’t have any more, so we need to limit the amount of people that are there.

“I couldn’t be more confident about the courts. We have made sure we have less matches on Centre Court and No 1 Court, so hopefully that will keep them fresh.

“The general consensus is everyone is excited to have this new event, so we will see how it goes.”

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Robson has been tournament director at the grass court event in Nottingham for the last two years and she is part of a growing cohort of former players moving into Tournament Director role, with Grand Slam doubles champion Jamie Murray leading the LTA’s organisation team in that role for the ATP Tour event at Queen’s Club for a second successive year this summer.

Tickets for the ATP Tour event at the Queen’s Club always sell out quickly, with big interest from major brands and companies for the hospitality village that is built each year.

All tickets for this year’s men’s tournament at Queen’s have been sold, with tournament organisers hoping the lure of watching players like four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka, recently crowned Australian Open champion Keys and the British duo of Raducanu and Boulter will attract similar crowds for the WTA Tour event.

This will be a big test of the interest in the women’s game, with tickets on sale for the WTA 500 tournaments at the Queen’s Club for just £20.

READ NEXT: Laura Robson gives her verdict on Novak Djokovic after Qatar Open upset

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The first ATP Masters 1000 tournament of the 2025 season will take place in Indian Wells, and the entry list features a host of star names.

This year’s Indian Wells Open, which will run from March 5 to 16, will be the 51st edition of the ATP tournament.

The hard-court event in the Californian desert is one of the most prestigious tournaments outside of the four majors and it has at times been referred to as the ‘fifth Grand Slam.’

Carlos Alcaraz is the two-time reigning Indian Wells champion, having downed Daniil Medvedev in the last two championship matches.

The Spanish star will compete with Alexander Zverev and Novak Djokovic, but world No 1 Jannik Sinner will not play as he is banned until May 4 due to failing doping tests. Zverev is set to be the top seed in Sinner’s absence.

Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul will lead the American interest as they are both set to be seeded in the top eight, while Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe will be among the top 20 seeds.

How many players will feature in the main draw?

The Indian Wells men’s singles main draw will feature 96 players, a total consisting of 79 direct entrants, 12 qualifiers and five wildcards.

Which players have received wildcards?

Two of the five players who will receive main draw wildcards have been announced and they are: Joao Fonseca and Learner Tien.

Fonseca, an 18-year-old Brazilian prodigy, is ranked 78th after he recently won his maiden ATP title at the Argentina Open.

World No 83 Tien, a 19-year-old who made a stunning run to the fourth round of the 2025 Australian Open as a qualifier, is one of the brightest young American prospects.

Have any players withdrawn?

As things stand, Sinner — who was forced to pull out due to his aforementioned doping ban — is the only man to withdraw.

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Which former champions will play?

Four former Indian Wells champions have entered: Alcaraz (2023 and 2024), Djokovic (2008, 2011, 2014, 2015 and 2016), Fritz (2022) and Cameron Norrie (2021).

Have any players used a protected ranking to enter?

Players who have been unable to compete in any tournaments due to injury for a minimum of six months are eligible to use the ATP protected ranking system.

The protected ranking will be determined by the player’s average ranking position during the first three months of their injury. They can use the protected ranking to enter nine tournaments and for a period of nine months from the first event they play after returning.

Nick Kyrgios, Reilly Opelka and Jenson Brooksby have all used a protected ranking to gain entry into the Indian Wells main draw.

Indian Wells 2025 ATP Singles Entry List and Projected Seeds based on ATP Rankings as of 24 February 2025 (numbers on the right are Entry Rankings)

1. Alexander Zverev, 2
2. Carlos Alcaraz, 3
3. Taylor Fritz, 4
4. Casper Ruud, 5
5. Daniil Medvedev, 7
6. Novak Djokovic, 6
7. Alex de Minaur, 8
8. Tommy Paul, 9
9. Andrey Rublev, 10
10. Stefanos Tsitsipas, 12
11. Holger Rune, 14
12. Ben Shelton, 13
13. Ugo Humbert, 15
14. Grigor Dimitrov, 11
15. Jack Draper, 16
16. Lorenzo Musetti, 17
17. Frances Tiafoe, 18
18. Arthur Fils, 19
19. Hubert Hurkacz, 21
20. Karen Khachanov, 20
21. Sebastian Korda, 22
22. Felix Auger-Aliassime, 23
23. Tomas Machac, 25
24. Jiri Lehecka, 24
25. Francisco Cerundolo, 29
26. Alexei Popyrin, 26
27. Alejandro Tabilo, 27
28. Jordan Thompson, 28
29. Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard, 30
30. Sebastian Baez, 31
31. Denis Shapovalov, 54
32. Alex Michelsen, 36
Matteo Arnaldi, 39
Matteo Berrettini, 33
Lorenzo Sonego, 34
Pedro Martinez, 44
Gael Monfils, 32
Nuno Borges, 37
Flavio Cobolli, 35
Brandon Nakashima, 42
Miomir Kecmanovic, 55
Tomas Martin Etcheverry, 40
Jan-Lennard Struff, 45
Jakub Mensik, 47
Mariano Navone, 48
Nicolas Jarry, 38
Alexander Bublik, 49
Zhizhen Zhang, 50
Alejandro Davidovich Fokina, 59
Tallon Griekspoor, 43
Marcos Giron, 41
Roberto Carballes Baena, 51
Roberto Bautista Agut, 52
Jaume Munar, 64
Juncheng Shang, 53
Fabian Marozsan, 57
Zizou Bergs, 61
Cameron Norrie, 63
Alexandre Muller, 58
Luciano Darderi, 46
Yoshihito Nishioka, 67
Arthur Rinderknech, 60
Benjamin Bonzi, 62
David Goffin, 56
Corentin Moutet, 65
Aleksandar Vukic, 66
Joao Fonseca (WC)
Yunchaokete Bu, 68
Roman Safiullin, 69
Kei Nishikori, 71
Thiago Seyboth Wild, 76
Thanasi Kokkinakis, 72
Aleksandar Kovacevic, 75
Rinky Hijikata, 73
Quentin Halys, 74
Learner Tien (WC)
Luca Nardi, 77
Reilly Opelka, 33 (PR)
Facundo Diaz Acosta, 70
Nick Kyrgios, 21 (PR)
Jenson Brooksby, 52 (PR)

READ NEXT: Joao Fonseca makes ‘unmatched’ claim as he chooses between Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer

The post ATP Indian Wells 2025 Entry List: Novak Djokovic, Carlos Alcaraz, Alexander Zverev headline as two wildcards revealed appeared first on Tennis365.

The fallout from Jannik Sinner’s three-month drug ban continues to be the biggest talking point in tennis, with opinion divided on the outcome of what is a complex case.

World No 1 Sinner tested positive for clostebol in March last year, but the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) decided not to suspend the Italian after accepting his explanation for why the anabolic steroid was found in his system.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced it had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport and was seeking a two-year ban, but they reached ‘an agreement’ with Sinner and his team that sees the Australian Open and US Open champion sitting out of the sport for the nxt three-months.

That agreement has been met with plenty of pessimism by many observers, but WADA’s general counsel Ross Wenzel believes the sanction level was “in the right place” for the offence.

“This was a case that was a million miles away from doping,” he told BBC Sport.

“The scientific feedback that we received was that this could not be a case of intentional doping, including micro-dosing.

“WADA has received messages from those that consider that the sanction was too high and, in some respects if you have some saying this is unfair on the athlete, and others saying it’s not enough, maybe it’s an indication that although it’s not going to be popular with everyone, maybe it’s an indication that it was in the right place.

“When we look at these cases we try to look at them technically, operationally and we don’t do it with fear of what the public and the politicians or anyone is going to say.”

Plenty of leading former and current tennis players have given their judgement on Sinner’s ban, which was at a level that ensured he does not miss any Grand Slams and will return just before the Rome Masters in his home country.

24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic was among those who questioned the process that concluded with Sinner’s three-month ban, yet Andy Murray’s former coach Dani Vallverdu has suggested the Italian should be getting support rather than criticism from those within the sport.

Both the ITIA and WADA have now concluded that this was not a case of deliberate doping, with Vallverdu – who was working with Murray when he won his first Wimbledon title in 2013 – arguing the time has come for Sinner to be shown some support from the tennis family.

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“After giving it some days to digest the reaction from the tennis world regarding the Jannik Sinner ban, I would like to say that I’m saddened by the lack of camaraderie – most not focusing on the facts of the case,” Vallverdu wrote on his X account. “The real losers here are JS (Sinner) and tennis.

“We should be focusing on the Anti-Doping agency’s processes and rules rather than the player being a victim from it – who clearly had zero performance-enhancing benefits. ZERO.

“I have known JS since he was 14-years-old and I’m comfortable to say that he is 100% not at fault.

“The Anti-Doping agencies are at fault for the lack of consistency and accuracy with most tennis cases lately.

“There should have never been a ban here. Not an easy time for JS and the Team. Stay strong and Rome will be the perfect setting for the warm welcome he deserves.”

Sinner has yet to confirm whether he will play the the Rome Masters, but it would appear to be the natural return date for the world No 1 as he aims to win his first French Open title at Roland Garros in an event that gets underway in May.

READ NEXT: Juan Martin del Potro explains why he finds Jannik Sinner’s doping ban ‘strange’

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Brazilian sensation Joao Fonseca has named his biggest sporting idol and also picked between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer as he revealed who he thinks is the greatest tennis player of all time.

The world No 70, who is the youngest player and only 18-year-old in the top 100 of the ATP Rankings, is one of the most exciting talents to emerge in tennis in recent memory.

Fonseca won his maiden ATP title at the Argentina Open in Buenos Aires this month as he impressively overcame four Argentine players in his five matches.

The Brazilian ended 2024 by winning all five of his matches to triumph at the Next Gen ATP Finals in Jeddah.

He carried his form into this year by winning the Canberra Challenger without losing a set and then qualified for the Australian Open in dominant fashion.

The teenage star delivered a stunning display to beat Andrey Rublev in straight sets in the first round in Melbourne in what was his Grand Slam main draw debut.

Fonseca is sponsored by the Swiss sportswear brand On, in which 20-time major champion Federer is a shareholder.

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In an interview with Brazilian outlet Globo, Fonseca divulged that Federer is his idol and that he believes the Swiss legend to be the tennis ‘GOAT’.

“Federer. There’s no way to change that,” he said.

“People can say that Djokovic is the greatest of all time, but for me there’s no way. Djokovic may be the best of all time, but Federer is the greatest. Unmatched.”

Asked what he considers his greatest strength, Fonseca said: “Technically, it’s definitely my forehand.

“But I think that apart from that, it’s definitely my maturity, in realising important parts of the game, that important moment when I have to play in a certain way, a point where I have to be more courageous.

“This part of maturing on the court, when I have to have posture, is the part where I’m best. Showing that I’m strong when I’m tired, this mental part is one of my best weapons.”

On what has he improved the most from last season, he added: “I’m much faster, much more resilient.

“I would say that my serve has also improved, my first serve in particular, which is something I used to fail at a lot, and now I’m more consistent.

“And my consistency in general, I’m more solid. Before, I was a kid who hit really hard, but also made a lot of mistakes. Now I’m combining strength, power, with consistency.

“I’m being more consistent, making better movements, so I believe that physique and consistency are the things I’ve improved the most.”

READ NEXT: Tim Henman delivers GOAT verdict between Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer

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The third WTA 1000 tournament of the 2025 season will take place in Indian Wells, and the entry list confirms there will be a star-studded field at the prestigious event.

This year’s Indian Wells Open, which will run from March 5 to 16, will be the 36th edition of the WTA tournament.

The hard-court event in the Californian desert is considered one of the biggest tournaments outside of the four Grand Slams.

Iga Swiatek is the reigning Indian Wells champion, having beaten Maria Sakkari 6-4, 6-0 in the 2024 final.

The Polish star will defend her crown, while world No 1 Aryna Sabalenka will seek her maiden Indian Wells title having been a runner-up in 2023.

World No 3 Coco Gauff, Australian Open winner Madison Keys and Emma Navarro headline the American interest, with the trio all set to be seeded in the top 10.

How many players will feature in the main draw?

The Indian Wells women’s singles main draw will be contested by 96 players, a total made up of 76 direct entrants, 12 qualifiers and eight wildcards.

Which players have received wildcards?

Two of the eight players who will receive main draw wildcards were announced recently and they were: Venus Williams and Petra Kvitova.

Williams, a seven-time Grand Slam singles champion and former world No 1, has not played since the 2024 Miami Open, but she will not make her return to Indian Wells as she turned down the wildcard due to prior commitments.

Kvitova, a two-time Wimbledon winner and former world No 2, has been absent from the tour since October 2023 as she gave birth to her first child in July last year.

Which former champions will play?

Five former Indian Wells champions have entered: Swiatek (2022 and 2024), Elena Rybakina (2023), Paula Badosa (2021), Naomi Osaka (2018) and Victoria Azarenka (2012 and 2016).

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Have any players withdrawn?

As things stand, no players on the WTA entry list have pulled out of the event.

Have any players used a protected ranking to enter?

Players who have been unable to compete in any tournaments due to injury for a minimum of six months are eligible to use the ATP protected ranking system.

The protected ranking will be determined by the player’s average ranking position during the first three months of their injury. They can use the protected ranking to enter nine tournaments and for a period of nine months from the first event they play after returning.

Irina Begu, Lauren Davis and Caty McNally have all used a protected ranking to gain entry into the Indian Wells main draw.

Will Emma Raducanu play?

Emma Raducanu‘s ranking has earned her direct entry into the Indian Wells main draw after she required a wildcard to play the first two WTA 1000 events of 2025 in Doha and Dubai.

Indian Wells 2025 WTA Singles Entry List and Projected Seeds (based on WTA Rankings as of 24 February 2025)

1. Aryna Sabalenka
2. Iga Swiatek
3. Coco Gauff
4. Jessica Pegula
5. Madison Keys
6. Jasmine Paolini
7. Elena Rybakina
8. Qinwen Zheng
9. Mirra Andreeva
10. Emma Navarro
11. Paula Badosa
12. Daria Kasatkina
13. Diana Shnaider
14. Danielle Collins
15. Karolina Muchova
16. Barbora Krejcikova
17. Beatriz Haddad Maia
18. Amanda Anisimova
19. Marta Kostyuk
20. Donna Vekic
21. Ekaterina Alexandrova
22. Yulia Putintseva
23. Clara Tauson
24. Elina Svitolina
25. Liudmila Samsonova
26. Katie Boulter
27. Jelena Ostapenko
28. Leylah Fernandez
29. Elise Mertens
30. Maria Sakkari
31. Magdalena Frech
32. Linda Noskova
Ons Jabeur
Anna Kalinskaya
Anastasia Potapova
Victoria Azarenka
Marketa Vondrousova
Magda Linette
Xinyu Wang
Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
Olga Danilovic
Naomi Osaka
Marie Bouzkova
Rebecca Sramkova
Lulu Sun
Peyton Stearns
Karolina Pliskova
Elina Avanesyan
Anhelina Kalinina
Dayana Yastremska
Ashlyn Krueger
Veronika Kudermetova
Camila Osorio
Katerina Siniakova
Yue Yuan
Emma Raducanu
McCartney Kessler
Jessica Bouzas Maneiro
Polina Kudermetova
Elisabetta Cocciaretto
Ann Li
Moyuka Uchijima
Viktoriya Tomova
Sorana Cirstea
Mayar Sherif
Renata Zarazua
Suzan Lamens
Katie Volynets
Kamilla Rakhimova
Varvara Gracheva
Anna Blinkova
Lucia Bronzetti
Jaqueline Cristian
Petra Kvitova (WC)
Irina Begu (PR)
Lauren Davis (PR)
Caty McNally (PR)

READ NEXT: Money and points earned by Mirra Andreeva after becoming youngest Dubai champion?

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