MELBOURNE (Reuters) – Defending champion Jannik Sinner should be riding the crest of a wave as he prepares for the Australian Open as the dominant force in men’s tennis, but instead returns to the scene of his maiden Grand Slam title under a cloud.
On the court, the 23-year-old Italian has opened a gap to his rivals, ending last year as the clear world number one after a remarkable season in which he won eight titles and lost only six of the 79 matches he contested.
He crowned 2024 with the ATP Finals title and also led Italy to a successive Davis Cup crown.
Sinner gives the impression of a player with all the answers against whoever he comes up against, but the off-court questions he is likely to face about the doping case that surfaced in August might be harder to shrug off.
He was cleared of any wrongdoing after failing two drug tests in March — an independent tribunal convened by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepting that the anabolic agent clostebol had inadvertently entered his system from a member of his support team through massages.
Sinner, who has always maintained his innocence, was docked the 400 ranking points and prize money he earned for reaching the semi-finals at Indian Wells where the tests were carried out, but escaped a ban, raising eyebrows among some in the tennis community who cried double standards.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has since lodged an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) over the judgement and while Sinner focuses on trying to defend his title, he will do so knowing that his fate is yet to be decided and a damaging ban remains a possibility.
Australian player Nick Kyrgios, never one to sit on the fence, says the Sinner scenario, together with a similar situation involving Poland’s Iga Swiatek, has been an ‘horrific’ look for the integrity of the sport.
Sinner will attempt to continue to let his racket do the talking but with the world’s glare on the year’s first Grand Slam, the saga is unlikely to fade into the background.
The two-time Grand Slam champion spent Christmas in the snow in northern Italy, conceding it was a tough time after the death of his aunt at the end of last year.
He has quickly warmed to the task of defending his Australian Open title since landing in Melbourne though, looking sharp in an exhibition match win over Australian Alexei Popyrin on Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday.
“Coming back here as the reigning champion feels good, it’s a different sensation, but I’m genuinely looking forward to it. Let’s see how I can perform,” Sinner said after that win.
“In my mind, I know how much work we have put in, which hopefully will give me confidence and we will see how it goes.”
Sinner displayed commendable resilience to put aside his off-court distractions to win the U.S. Open last year and end the season in a rich vein of form.
He will need the same laser-like focus if he is to see off the many challenges he will face in Melbourne.
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Christian Radnedge)
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