India, Jan. 9 -- An intriguing coincidence arises as Jannik Sinner faces Nicolas Jarry in the opening round of the Australian Open, given that both athletes have tested positive for prohibited substances. However, both were found to have no significant fault or negligence.

Despite being the world No. 1 and the defending champion at Melbourne Park, Sinner was permitted to compete without any suspension, while Jarry received an 11-month ban.

This situation underscores a growing atmosphere of mistrust within the sport of tennis.

Sinner tested positive for clostebol on two occasions in March but successfully appealed against the provisional suspension imposed on him. The details of his case were kept confidential, allowing him to continue competing on the tour while the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) conducted its investigation.

During this period, Sinner ascended to the world No. 1 ranking, and it was only in August, a day after his victory at the Cincinnati Masters, that the ITIA exonerated him. This revelation marked the first time the tennis community became aware of the 23-year-old's positive tests.

In November, it was disclosed that Iga Swiatek had tested positive for trimetazidine in an out-of-competition test conducted in August, while she was still ranked No. 1. She received a one-month suspension, serving 22 days during the September-October timeframe, with the remaining eight days served after her participation in the WTA Finals and Billie Jean King Cup Finals.

The differing treatment of Sinner and Swiatek has drawn significant criticism from players, who have accused the governing bodies of tennis of favouritism.

"We have seen numerous players, both past and present, suspended without even testing positive for banned substances," remarked 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic during the Brisbane International last week.

"There are players who have been awaiting resolution of their cases for over a year, highlighting issues of inconsistency and lack of transparency."

A notable similarity between Sinner and Swiatek is their promotion as the faces of tennis.

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