NEW YORK (AP) 鈥 Roger Federer thinks Jannik Sinner's doping case raises questions about whether the current No. 1-ranked tennis player should have been allowed to continue competing until he was absolved of intentionally using an anabolic steroid he tested positive for twice in March.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not something we want to see in our sport, these types of news, regardless if he did something or not. Or any player did. It鈥檚 just noise that we don鈥檛 want. I understand the frustration of: Has he been treated the same as others? And I think this is where it comes down to. We all trust pretty much at the end, he didn鈥檛 do anything,鈥 Federer said Tuesday in an appearance on the 鈥淭oday鈥 show to promote a book of photos of him. 鈥淏ut the inconsistency, potentially, that he didn鈥檛 have to sit out while they were not 100 percent sure what was going on 鈥 I think that鈥檚 the question here that needs to be answered.鈥
Hours later Tuesday night, Federer received a warm ovation from spectators in Arthur Ashe Stadium when he was introduced to the crowd during the second set of the U.S. Open quarterfinal between Aryna Sabalenka and Zheng Qinwen.
Federer smiled and waved as he was shown on the videoboards in the arena.
It was the 20-time Grand Slam champion's first visit to the venue since he stopped competing. ; he played his last official match .
He is the last man to win consecutive titles at the U.S. Open, collecting five in a row from 2004 to 2008.
Several top players have been asked , who is scheduled to face 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the Grand Slam tournament's quarterfinals on Wednesday.
Rafael Nadal told a Spanish television show on Monday he doesn't think Sinner received preferential treatment.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Aug. 20 that it was determined that the banned performance-enhancer inadvertently entered Sinner鈥檚 system through a massage from his physiotherapist, and that is why the player was not suspended.
Asked about the matter in New York before the U.S. Open began, said he gets why some tennis players question whether there鈥檚 a double standard in the sport.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a tricky situation and it鈥檚 the nightmare of every athlete and team, to have these allegations and these problems,鈥 Federer said, adding: 鈥淲e need to trust the process as well of everyone involved.鈥
, his longtime on-court rival and off-court friend, who is 38 and has played sparingly the last two seasons because of injuries, including a hip operation last year. He is sitting out the U.S. Open.
There are questions about whether Nadal, who has won 22 Grand Slam trophies, will return to the tour.
鈥淗e can do whatever he wants,鈥 Federer said. 鈥淗e's been one of the most iconic tennis players we've ever had in our sport. ... I just hope he can go out on his terms and the way he wants to.鈥
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