2025 Grand Slam markets shift as three-month Sinner ban revealed

Betting markets for the French Open and Wimbledon have shifted in 2025 after news that world No.1 Jannik Sinner will serve a three-month doping ban.

The Italian tennis player reach a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency on Saturday that will see him barred from competing on the ATP Tour until May 4, effectively immediately.

This comes after the 23-year-old tested positive for the banned substance clostebol twice in March 2024.

Sinner was found not guilty of any intentional wrongdoing; however, WADA appealed the decision, initially seeking a ban between one and two years.

The three-month ban means that Sinner will miss the Sunshine Double in the United States and majority of the European clay-court swing, returning in time for the Italian Open ahead of the year’s next Grand Slam.

Sinner had been favourite to win both the French Open and Wimbledon before news of the ban broke, but tennis betting sites have now lengthened his odds for both majors.

Carlos Alcaraz leads tennis betting odds across the top online bookmakers, paying $2 to win the French Open while Sinner is at $3.75.

The Spaniard holds a narrower edge in the Wimbledon betting odds, returning $2.20 at Marantelli Bet compared to Sinner’s $2.62.

Sinner remains the favourite to win the US Open with odds of $2.75, while Alcaraz holds the second line of betting at $3.

WADA and Sinner statements on doping ban

Both WADA and Sinner released statements on Saturday addressing the doping ban.

“WADA accepts that Mr Sinner did not intend to cheat and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage,” WADA said.

“However, under the Code and by virtue of case precedent, an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence.”

“This case had been hanging over me now for nearly a year and the process still had a long time to run with a decision maybe only at the end of the year,” Sinner said.

“I have always accepted that I am responsible for my team and realise Wada’s strict rules are an important protection for the sport I love.

“On that basis I have accepted Wada’s offer to resolve these proceedings on the basis of a three-month sanction.”

Player reactions to Sinner’s ban

Initial reactions to the ban within the professional tennis community have been negative, with the likes of Nick Kyrgios, Liam Broady, Stan Wawrinka and Tim Henman all criticising the approach.

“Obviously Sinner’s team have done everything in their power to just go ahead and take a three-month ban, no titles lost, no prize money lost,” Australian player Kyrgios posted on X.

“Guilty or not? Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist.”

“Didn’t realise you could reach a settlement regarding a doping ban,” British player Broady wrote.

“Interesting. Back in time for the French Open I guess?”

“First and foremost I don’t think in any way he has been trying to cheat at any stage, I don’t believe that,” former British No.1 Henman said.

“However, when I read this statement this morning it just seems a little bit too convenient.

“When you’re dealing with drugs in sport it very much has to be black and white, it’s binary, it’s positive or negative, you’re banned or you’re not banned.”

Swiss veteran Stan Wawrinka, meanwhile, simply posted on X that he “does not believe in a clean sport anymore”.

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