Tennis Needs a Single Commissioner, Says John McEnroe

Tennis legend John McEnroe says the sport needs a single commissioner to address doping controversies and provide clarity.

The recent doping cases in tennis, including those involving women's world number two Iga Swiatek and men's world number one Jannik Sinner, have sparked intense debate within the sport. Swiatek accepted a one-month ban in November after testing positive for trimetazidine, a hormone and metabolic modulator, which she attributed to contamination of her sleep medication. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) deemed both cases “inadvertent breaches of the rules.”

Tennis legend John McEnroe believes that the sport's reputation remains intact despite these incidents. “I don't think it has done any damage because if you look, it's way worse in the other sports,” McEnroe, a former world number one turned ESPN broadcaster, told reporters ahead of the Australian Open. He emphasized his conviction that tennis is cleaner than other sports, acknowledging, however, that issues still exist. “In my opinion tennis is cleaner than any other sport. Now that doesn't mean there are not issues.”

McEnroe expressed concern about the timing of information releases, citing the delay between Sinner's positive test at Indian Wells in March and the public announcement just before the US Open in August. This lag, McEnroe argued, contributes to confusion and exacerbates the situation. “That part I really don't like,” he said, highlighting the need for greater transparency and streamlined communication in tennis's anti-doping efforts.

Tennis legend John McEnroe believes that the sport is in need of a single commissioner to provide clarity and leadership, particularly in light of recent doping controversies. McEnroe's comments come amidst a series of high-profile doping cases involving top players, which have sparked debate and confusion within the tennis community.

The latest incident involved men's world number one Jannik Sinner, who failed two drug tests in March after trace amounts of the anabolic androgenic steroid clostebol were detected. However, an independent tribunal ultimately cleared Sinner of any wrongdoing, accepting his explanation that the contamination was unintentional. McEnroe argues that having a single commissioner would help to streamline the process and provide greater transparency in such cases.

Rennae Stubbs, a former tennis player, current coach, and ESPN commentator, emphasized the need for increased transparency in the sport's anti-doping efforts. Stubbs noted that players are subject to frequent testing, and a commissioner could play a crucial role in communicating with the public when a positive test arises. “We need a commissioner of tennis that actually gets out there and speaks on behalf of players to defend or not defend them,” she said. “The bottom line is we have no one talking for them.”

Tennis legend John McEnroe has long been a proponent of appointing a commissioner for the sport. McEnroe revealed that he had been willing to take on the role himself but acknowledged that it seems unlikely to happen. “If I wasn't the commissioner, there still should be a commissioner,” he said. McEnroe expressed frustration with the current state of the sport, where individual tournaments prioritize their own interests over the well-being of tennis as a whole. “It doesn't look like it's ever going to happen because people are too busy, these tournaments protect their own interests. They care about themselves, they don't care enough about the sport.” McEnroe concluded by saying, “So it's too bad. But nonetheless, if it's not me, it should be someone else. We'll see if it happens in the next 10 years.”