The Australian Open is down to its final chapter. With Madison Keys already crowned the women’s champion, all eyes now turn to the men’s showdown on Sunday. World No. 1 Jannik Sinner and World No. 2 Alexander Zverev will battle it out on Rod Laver Arena for the coveted title. However, the tournament has been overshadowed by two major storylines: Jannik Sinner’s ongoing doping saga and Novak Djokovic’s dramatic exit from the semifinals due to injury.

For Jannik Sinner, the start of 2024 came with controversy. He tested positive for Clostebol, a banned substance, following the Indian Wells tournament. The Italian claimed the result was due to an over-the-counter spray used for a finger injury. While an independent tribunal accepted his explanation and cleared him of fault, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was not convinced. WADA has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking a suspension for Sinner. The hearing is set for mid-April, where he could face a minimum one-year ban if found guilty. Novak Djokovic, meanwhile, faced a battle of a different kind.

His Australian Open journey was riddled with physical challenges. In his quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz, Djokovic took a medical timeout early in the match to manage a left hamstring injury. Though he pushed through and secured a hard-fought win, the injury resurfaced in his semifinal against Zverev. After losing the first set in a tiebreak, the Serbian tennis player made the difficult decision to retire, citing a muscle tear. “It’s a muscle tear. Two years ago, I have managed it better. On the court, it didn’t bother me as much. This time that wasn’t the case,” he explained in the post-match press conference.

As the 24-time Grand Slam champion left the court, some spectators booed, a moment that didn’t sit well with Zverev. In his on-court interview, the German defended Djokovic, saying, “I know that everybody paid for tickets and everybody wants to see hopefully a great five-set match. But you’ve got to understand Novak Djokovic is somebody that has given this sport, for the past 20 years, absolutely everything of his life.”

Despite Djokovic’s explanation, skepticism about his injury lingered. To silence the doubters, Djokovic took to X, posting an MRI image of his left hamstring with the caption: “Thought I’d leave this here for all the sports injury “experts” out there.”

The post sparked further discussions, as Novak Djokovic fans started drawing comparisons between his situation and that of Sinner.

Novak Djokovic fans slam Jannik Sinner amid heated debate

The ongoing doping allegations against Sinner have left fans divided. Djokovic supporters have been particularly vocal, questioning why the World No.1 continues to play amid a WADA appeal while the Serbian tennis star faces scrutiny for his injuries.

One fan expressed their frustration on social media, saying, “Djokovic is forced to put up his MRI because the establishment has been pushing false narratives that he may have been feigning his injury. Meanwhile, Sinner failed two drug tests, @wada_ama confirmed he had committed two anti-doping offenses, but all the media do is praise and promote him.”

Another fan drew parallels with other suspended players. The comparison between Sinner’s case and those of Simona Halep and Iga Swiatek has been a focal point of the controversy.

Halep tested positive for Roxadustat during the 2022 US Open and received a four-year suspension from the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). Though her ban was later reduced to nine months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the lengthy initial ruling severely disrupted her career. In contrast, Swiatek faced a one-month suspension in 2024 after testing positive for trimetazidine, which was traced to contaminated melatonin supplements. WADA chose not to appeal Swiatek’s ruling.

The fan tweeted, “Where is the justice? I feel so sad for Sharapova, Halep, and the other suspended players. Innocent or not, they got suspended and lost their opportunities to play. Why were Sinner and Swiatek treated differently?” This sentiment was echoed by many, with one user simply calling it “It’s a joke that Sinner is still playing.”

While one wrote, “Had the same offences been found on Djokovic they would strip him of ALL of his achievements and banned him from the sport. They have been trying to sweep this under the rug so hard and it’s so obvious.” Another fan wrote, “Make it make sense!!! God I hope Zverev wins tonight!”

While the controversies rage on, the Sunday final between Sinner and Zverev promises to be a gripping clash. As the tennis world awaits the final showdown, the question remains: Can Sinner rise above the controversy and defend his title, or will Zverev achieve his first Grand Slam title?