Daniel Altmaier does not believe Jannik Sinner had bad intentions or that the Italian tried to cheat the system. However, the German understands why many players are upset following Sinner’s positive doping test: “We all deserve the same treatment. That must be the firmest rule.”
“It was probably an accident. I think in other cases, accidents have happened too. I don’t think many players want to dope on purpose. Sometimes, it’s just bad luck,” Altmaier, currently ranked No. 84 in the world, told CLAY in an interview during the Challenger 175 Copa Cap Cana, in the Dominican Republic.
A former world No. 47, Altmaier believes his compatriot Alexander Zverev is fully capable of winning a Grand Slam. He also thinks the 2024 Roland Garros finalist is not focused on becoming world No. 1 but rather on winning matches again and putting his losing streak behind him.
The German trains in Argentina and is set to marry his Mexican fiancée at the end of the year. That’s why he speaks excellent Spanish—the language in which this interview was conducted.
Interview with Daniel Altmaier
—You’re getting close to Novak Djokovic as the player who speaks the most languages: German, Russian, English, Spanish. You handle all of them very well. That’s incredible!
—Yes! It’s nice to be able to speak so many languages. I really enjoy communicating with different people. Speaking someone’s native language is special. It helps a lot, especially when you travel so much.
– You will soon marry your Mexican fiancée! Will many tennis players be attending the wedding?
– Well, I think it’s a complicated date for many to travel, as it will be during the preseason in Mexico. I hope many will come, those who live nearby. For sure, the Mexicans will be there. We’ll have a beautiful wedding.
– And if you have a son who likes tennis, would you teach him a one-handed backhand like yours?
– My son will do the things he enjoys the most. If tennis is one of them, yes. He’ll play with a one-handed backhand (laughs).
– You have great admiration for Rafael Nadal. Do you feel his absence in the locker room since his retirement? What legacy and lessons did Nadal leave for his former competitors?
– I think Nadal proved to be an incredible tennis player, but an even better person. He is very proper in every way, very humble, very professional. You could really see all of that when he was at the tournaments. I’ve lived through several tournaments where he played, and the fanaticism for him was palpable. The truth is, I was really impressed by his personality and everything he conveys. He left that part very well marked, even more than his victories.
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– Recently, former Russian tennis player Dmitry Tursunov said that Djokovic’s tennis death had already arrived, that his body was his worst enemy and it didn’t matter how much he tried to deceive time. What’s your opinion on that? Do you think he has enough left in the tank to win another Grand Slam?
– He said last year that his only focus would be on the Grand Slams and the Davis Cup with Serbia. Then, we saw in Australia that he won an incredible match against Alcaraz. After that, he got injured and had to withdraw in the semifinals. He must be thinking 100% about Roland Garros, Wimbledon, and the US Open. I think, after balancing out the Grand Slam season, he’ll make an analysis. His focus is not on the 1000s or the 500s, not even on the ATP Finals. Without a doubt, he only thinks about the Grand Slams.
– Your compatriot Alexander Zverev seemed to have the path cleared to the number one with Jannik Sinner’s suspension, but since the Italian’s ban was announced, his performance has been poor. How do you see him? Does that possibility weigh too heavily on him? Do you think he will become number one and win Grand Slams?
– Sascha said that when you’re coming off such a bad run, you don’t think about any goal except getting back to winning matches. I think that’s where he’s at right now, in his true state after several weeks of tough losses. I don’t think number one is on his mind at the moment. Obviously, in the long run, he wants to win a Grand Slam. He certainly has the potential. He’s proven it many times.
– You have shared time together in the German Davis Cup team. What is your relationship like? Are you close?
– We were together once in the German team, and we always run into each other at the big tournaments. He follows a different schedule than mine throughout the year. We get along well, and we also speak Russian, since his parents are Russian. That brings us a bit closer too. I hope we can meet more often in the Davis Cup in the coming years. We both share the dream of winning it for Germany someday.
– Several players have spoken about Jannik Sinner’s positive doping case. Do you want to share your opinion on the matter?
– I’ve met Sinner personally, and he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would deliberately go against the rules. It was probably an accident. I think in other cases, accidents have happened too. I don’t believe many players would intentionally dope. Sometimes, bad luck plays a role. What I do think is that we should all be treated the same way—whether you’re ranked No. 1, No. 100, or No. 1,000. That should be the firmest rule. I understand why many players are upset. In Sinner’s case, I don’t think he did anything on purpose.
– Do tennis players struggle a lot with the doping control system? Many complain about how inconvenient the ITIA’s surprise tests can be. How do you experience it?
– That’s just how the rules work. Other people have to work from seven in the morning to eight at night. For us tennis players, it’s just one more thing we have to deal with. We have to report our whereabouts to be available for testing. It’s part of being a professional athlete. I wouldn’t get mad with it. Could some things be made easier? I think so. But it’s not like they’re trying to make our lives miserable. Sure, sometimes you have to do tests at terrible times. I had a surprise test at six in the morning in Indian Wells, and I just wanted to rest. But that’s how it is, there’s not much we can do. I don’t think the system needs major changes either—having order always helps.
– What is your biggest dream in tennis?
– I’m going to give everything to win Grand Slams. That’s the truth. That’s where I’ll give 100% in my career.
