World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has charged into his first ever US Open final, dropping just two sets on his way into the last contest.
Sinner booked a date with either Frances Tiafoe or Taylor Fritz after he defeated British British world No. 25 Jack Draper in straight sets in chaotic scenes.
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The 2024 Australian Open champion claimed the 7-5, 7-6, 6-2 victory to knock out Draper, and set himself up for a chance to claim his second grand slam crown.
But while the world appears to have finally accepted the Big Three era is over after Novak Djokovic’s early exit and the next generation has officially arrived, there’s been relatively little fanfare for Sinner’s impressive charge, following his drug test controversy just before the event kicked off.
In late August, it was revealed that Sinner had tested positive twice to banned substance Clostebol — the first test at the Indian Wells tournament in March, the second eight days later out of competition.
But an independent tribunal found Sinner bore “no fault or negligence”.
The amount in question was less than a billionth of a gram, with experts concluding the tests were a result of contamination from his physio Giacomo Naldi.
A statement from Sinner and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) found the Italian had “inadvertently” been exposed to the substance because of an ointment used for a cut on Naldi’s finger.
“Jannik knew nothing of this and his physiotherapist did not know that he was using a product containing Clostebol,” the statement continued.
“The physiotherapist treated Jannik without gloves and coupled with various skin lesions on Jannik’s body caused the inadvertent contamination.”
The ITIA insisted Sinner was “innocent” and “not at fault”.
However, the 23-year-old was stripped of his results and prizemoney from Indian Wells in accordance with anti-doping rules.
Sinner has since revealed he had fired Naldi and fitness trainer Umberto Naldi, who had reportedly given the physio the over-the-counter spray.
But it’s hard to argue the drama hasn’t cast a shadow over his US Open performance.
Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg tweeted after Sinner’s win over Medvedev: “Hard not to think about how much more fun this Jannik Sinner run would have felt if we were still in the dark about his whole anti-doping saga this year.
“The timing of that, and the way it showed a lack of transparency at the top of tennis for months, just leaves a bad taste.”
And plenty of others on social media have debated the issue.
Tennis legend Roger Federer said it was not what anyone in the tennis world wanted to see, suggesting Sinner should have been stood down while the situation was investigated.
“It’s not something we want to see in our sport, these types of news, regardless if he did something or not,” Federer said on the US’ Today show.
“Or any player did. It’s just noise that we don’t 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’t do anything.
“But the inconsistency, potentially, that he didn’t have to sit out while they were not 100 per cent sure what was going on — I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered.
“It’s a tricky situation and it’s the nightmare of every athlete and team, to have these allegations and these problems. We need to trust the process as well of everyone involved.”
It comes after Djokovic called for “standardised and clear protocols”.
However, 22-time grand slam winner Rafael Nadal came to Sinner’s defence, saying he believed the Italian star had escaped sanctions “because those who have had to judge this case have seen very clearly that there were no sanctions to be imposed”.
“I do not believe that because he is Sinner he will not be sanctioned and because he is someone else he will be sanctioned. I really believe it and I am convinced of it,” Nadal said on Spanish TV show El Hormiguero.
“Afterwards, the opinion of others is also totally respectable. But, well, this is my opinion.”
When the tests were revealed, there were plenty of fellow players who were left fuming after Sinner avoided even being stood down until the investigation finished as the positive tests were initially not made public.
Sinner was provisionally suspended twice during the investigation but his legal team successfully challenged the automatic suspensions.
His coach Darren Cahill told ESPN that while the cases were treated the same, being world No. 1 offers more financial resources for a more robust legal defence.
Aussie Nick Kyrgios took his rage to X, writing: “Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance … you should be gone for 2 years.”
Canadian star Denis Shapovalov added: “Can’t imagine what every other player that got banned for contaminated substances is feeling right now. Different rules for different players.”
British tennis veteran Liam Broady wrote: “Whether Sinner was doping or not. This is not right. Plenty of players go through the same thing and have to wait months or YEARS for their innocence to be declared. Not a good look.”
Kyrgios then doubled down on ESPN ahead of the US Open, saying it was “nothing against Sinner personally”.
“If you look at Jenson Brooksby and other players who’ve had their careers taken away for up to a year … and someone like Sinner just kind of doing it his own kind of way — I think he had it on his own terms for most of the time,” Kyrgios said before the event.
“I don’t think that’s fair and equal for the rest of the tour.”
Sinner said the match against Medvedev was “very tough” and “physical”.
“It was strange in the first two sets, whoever got the break started to roll,” he continued.
Sinner swept through the opening set on Wednesday (Thursday AEST) with a couple of breaks as the Russian committed 15 unforced errors to the Italian’s six.
However, fifth-ranked Medvedev flipped the script with a double break of his own to level the quarter-final.
In a to-and-fro battle, Sinner returned the favour by racing through the third set in just 30 minutes.
Medvedev patiently carved out two break points in the sixth game of the fourth set, both of which were saved.
That allowed Sinner to grab the initiative with the crucial break for 4-3 before going on to seal the victory.
Medvedev had to save 10 of 15 break points in the tie while his dream of making a 10th slam semi-final was undermined by 57 unforced errors.
With AFP
