‘(Jannik) Sinner Has Figured It Out’ – Ex-American Pro Applauds Italian Star’s Resilience Amid WADA Battle

The harder the battle, the sweeter the victory. That could just be Jannik Sinner‘s mantra. The Italian has stunned fans with his dominance on the court, finishing 2024 as World No. 1. He clinched two Grand Slam titles and six overall, then returned to win his third major at the 2025 Australian Open, all while making it look easy! Yet, his journey has been anything but simple. Off the court, he faces the fallout from a doping controversy. Despite this, his new title shows it hasn’t affected him much.

With his AO victory, Jannik Sinner has solidified his No. 1 status with 11,830 points—nearly 4,000 ahead of Alexander Zverev. He’s held this ranking for 34 weeks while navigating a doping controversy that began in March 2024. After testing positive for the banned substance clostebol, he was cleared by the ITIA in August, but WADA appealed this decision. And on Tuesday, Mitch Michals welcomed former ATP pro Jan-Michael Gambill on The Inside-In Tennis Podcast to discuss Sinner’s effortless victory at the Australian Open.

Gambill remarked, “I read a stat that mentioned that Sinner, the amount of times that he has been No. 1, he’s got the highest win rate or he’s up there with some crazy names. I mean, it’s amazing.” Mitch further noted, “When you think about generational talents and a player like him, it’s also the maturity. The mental side of it too and that you don’t even have to get into this stuff he’s dealing with off the court.”

Earlier in the podcast, the hosts discussed Madison Keys‘ triumph at the Australian Open after overcoming injuries and consistency issues throughout her career. Gambill said, “It’s that tunnel vision that we talked about with Madi Keys… however she figured that out, [Jannik] Sinner has it figured out.” He acknowledged that Sinner is dealing with potential suspension and distractions but chooses to focus on his game. “That has to be weighing on him a little.”

Sinner might wear his troubles lightly in public. But he has previously addressed his reaction in an interview with Esquire, noting that he experienced “sleepless nights” and began to mistrust those around him after the controversy. However, it’s known that Sinner possesses a reserved nature on and off the court. And the former pro acknowledged just that.

Gambill continued, “Maybe he is able to shove it to the side and ‘I’ll deal with that when I’m off the court.’ There’s nothing you can do about it when he walks out there.” And it’s not just him who believes this. American former pro Andre Agassi has also shared his admiration of the Italian for his mentality and skills on the court.

Andre Agassi praises Jannik Sinner for his resilience on the court

On January 27, Darren Cahill, Sinner’s coach, spilled some exciting insights about the Italian star during an interview with Functional Tennis. He talked about how Andre Agassi could not stop raving about Jannik Sinner’s game. Cahill shared that Agassi “Says when he sees Jannik play, he sees every ball as an opportunity to finish the point. That’s what’s Jannik; most players like myself will get onto the court and you have to try to find a weakness, and he puts the ball into a certain part of the court where you feel like you’re safe. But no ball is safe.” 

Watching Sinner play is like witnessing a masterclass in movement. His ability to switch from defense to offense in a heartbeat is something that is rare to find. Cahill recalled Andre’s praise for this, saying, “That’s his greatest strength. That he can generate pace, power, angle, and precision from any part of the court, and he’s improved his game; he’s coming to the net more now.” But it’s not just Sinner’s on-court skills that have Agassi buzzing; it’s his personality too!

Last season in November 2024, Agassi too gushed, “I love Sinner. He is a very good person, very humble, and always attentive to everyone.” Reflecting on Sinner’s charm, he added, “It’s easy to get along with him; he is such an interesting person…” The Italian showcased this by comforting Zverev following his defeat at the Australian Open final in straight sets. Despite this being his second consecutive win, he was able to empathize with the German who had lost not only the match but also his third chance at finally winning a Grand Slam in his decade-long career.

During the award ceremony, Sinner stood beside him with a hand on his shoulder and offered words of encouragement before they shared a heartfelt hug. The moment went viral on social media with fans praising him for his sportsmanship. But there’s a lot to Sinner that makes him a fan favorite. Some might say it’s his skills on the court, some might say it’s his maturity and mindset at the age of 23. What’s your take on this?