Jannik Sinner has done it again. Have you heard that right? The 23-year-old Italian recently defended his Australian Open title in a ruthless fashion, dismantling Alexander Zverev in straight sets and that too without facing a single break point. Who does that in a Grand Slam final? The last man to pull it off? Rafael Nadal, back in 2017! And that’s just the start. Sinner has now won three straight hard-court majors—only Novak Djokovic has done that in the last decade. He’s the youngest to go back-to-back in Melbourne since Jim Courier in 1993. These exploits have earned the Italian quite a few admirers. Now, Roger Federer’s former agent, Tony Godsick also can’t help but applaud the current World No. 1, comparing him with the Swiss maestro.

In a recent interview with La Stampa, the Italian daily newspaper based in Turin, Roger Federer’s agent, Tony Godsick, shared his thoughts on Jannik Sinner’s potential to become a tennis legend. “He is serious, very professional, behaves well on court & does not do stupid things off it… in this, he reminds me of Roger,” Godsick said.

Continuing further, he added “At the moment as a global star he cannot replace Federer or Nadal. But he is loved by the people, he plays a type of tennis that I like a lot and he knows how to give his best in the moments that matter. I don’t know if he can become a legend like Roger or Rafa, but he is on the right path… he is serious, very professional, he behaves well on the court and does not do stupid things off it… in this, he reminds me of Roger.”

Moving ahead? Can Sinner match Nadal and Federer? He has taken the right steps forward and his rise in tennis has been nothing short of breathtaking! At just 19, he captured his first ATP title at the 2020 Sofia Open, echoing a similar early breakout by Roger Federer, who claimed his first-ever professional title at the age of 18 on the Challenger tour in Segovia. So, here we are in 2025. Sinner having already won three Grand Slam titles has also reached World No. 1-the first-ever for an Italian player. Federer won 20 Grand Slams and 310 weeks at No. 1, so that sets a benchmark! But let’s be clear—it’s still early days for Sinner. However, his trajectory mirrors that of Federer’s early years—focused and steadily climbing.

Jannik Sinner’s rise has not gone unnoticed with Roger Federer, who, himself offered high praise. Last year, Federer complimented Sinner’s demeanor and his impressive trajectory in the game, calling him a deserving World No. 1. “It’s fantastic that an Italian is No. 1. Sinner deserves it; he’s a great guy, very sweet. I follow him with great interest,” Federer said.

But for Sinner, at the moment, playing Tennis and dispatching opponents might not be the biggest challenge. The biggest challenge is coming clear of the doping controversy. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed against ITIA’s decision to let Sinner off without a ban and with a crucial Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)hearing scheduled for April 16-17 in Switzerland, the stakes can’t be higher. His situation has attracted opinions and now a former WTA star has also weighed in on how the situation has been handled.

Rennae Stubbs Predicts Severe Consequences for Jannik Sinner

WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, has controversially decided to appeal the August 2024, ruling of an independent tribunal, which cleared Jannik Sinner of the doping violation involving the substance clostebol.

Sinner had tested positive for clostebol in two different instances in March 2024, but he insisted that the banned substance entered his system via massages given by his physiotherapist, who had used clostebol to treat his own wounds; The tribunal accepted the explanation given by Sinner and held that he bore “no fault or negligence,” meaning he would not serve a ban. However, he had to forfeit all prize money and ranking points earned at the 2024 Indian Wells tournament.

The former WTA pro-Rennae Stubbs, who has always been a staunch advocate for clean sport, expressed her frustration during an episode of her Podcast. She criticized the process and the handling of this case, particularly focusing on the stance taken by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), who announced their decision to appeal the tribunal’s ruling.

“This WADA situation is such a joke, I mean it’s such a joke,” she said. How can the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) say no fault for you, and then WADA decides months later? You know what, that’s not quite satisfactory for us, we want him to pay for his team doing something stupid, but we are going to wait until April, are you kidding me? He has played two Grand Slams and won them. You think this is a good look WADA? You really think this is a good look?”

It remains to be seen what CAS has in store for Sinner in April. The ruling which comes a month before the French Open can have mammoth repercussions for Sinner or the sport in general.