The 2024 tennis season is advancing rapidly, and one name that has been making headlines is Jannik Sinner. Whether it’s a crushing victory or a heartfelt moment with his partner on the court, he’s taken over everyone’s timeline. Even amidst the doping allegations that nearly derailed him a while ago, he continues to impress fans with his stunning performances and bright smile. But how does he navigate his way on the court knowing the crowd might favor the local favorite and not him?

Going up against a local player is never easy because the crowd is always likely to be firmly behind the local. This went through Sinner’s mind as he walked into the 2024 China Open semi-final against Bu Yunchaokete. Not to mention, their match was scheduled on the Chinese National Day as well.

However, there was a twist in the tale for Sinner. He was taken aback at the warm cheers from the audience for him as well. Reflecting on the experience after the match, he said, “I was actually quite surprised how fair the crowd was. It was a great atmosphere. Was a packed stadium. It was a pleasure to play there, to be honest, to be part of the match.”

Initially, Sinner encountered some challenges as Bu put him under pressure early in the first set. He felt uncertain and later admitted, “I felt like the match was going to get very tight in the second set.” However, he engaged in a fierce battle to eventually take the win with a score of 6-3, 7-6 (7/3). “That’s exactly what people wanted to see. They want to see a great match,” Sinner added.

While discussing the settings of the match, Sinner noted that playing against a local player is always “a little bit different.” Comparing this to his experiences at other venues where he played against the local players, Sinner said, “That’s also in the US Open against Americans, a little bit different, still very fair. It’s always nice to be part of the matches.”

Now the world No. 1 is in the China Open final and is hoping to keep up the momentum of his impressive season till the end. But while the cheers for him never fade on the court, it looks like a dark cloud looms on the horizon as Sinner navigates a turbulent off-court situation.

WADA spells trouble in the middle of Sinner’s best season

Jannik Sinner is certainly navigating one of the stormiest periods of his career. While his remarkable talent has kept him battling it out in tournaments, the doping controversy is again all set to cast a shadow over his progress. Despite being cleared by the ITIA, the saga has taken a new twist with WADA’s recent appeal reigniting uncertainty around Sinner’s future.

Although the ITIA initially cleared him, WADA has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) to reopen Jannik Sinner’s case, claiming that the ITIA’s finding of “no fault or negligence” was incorrect. They are now seeking a ban of one to two years on Sinner. In response, Sinner expressed that he was “very disappointed and also surprised” by WADA’s decision to challenge the ITIA’s ruling.

For now, Sinner can continue competing in tournaments until a final verdict is established. However, the CAS typically takes around three months to merely begin hearings. This puts the Italian in a tough spot and potentially complicates his preparations for future matches. Although the World No.1 has support from veterans of the sport during his challenging time, this battle is far from over.