The rabbit hole is deep and Jannik Sinner can seemingly go further, despite having no intentions of doing so. The Italian star has been marred by a doping scandal, wherein he twice tested positive for the banned anabolic, Clostebol, during his Indian Wells campaign earlier this season. After evading severe charges with the ITIA ruling in his favor – citing ‘no fault or negligence’ –  Sinner’s troubles were far from over. Just a little over a month, WADA reopened the case, filing an appeal. And now, another development was revealed that will be crucial for Sinner’s future in the sport.

Left unsettled with the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s ‘no fault’ verdict, fans and players alike were vexed and further criticized Sinner for walking away scot-free. However, as luck would it, the World No. 1’s case was petitioned to be retried by the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency). Shocked learning about the appeal, Sinner stated that he is “very disappointed and surprised of this appeal. All three hearings came out positively for me. I knew that they were going to appeal. Maybe they just want to make sure that everything is in the right position. I’m just surprised that they appealed”. To put salt in the wounds, it was disclosed that the Italian’s case will now be retried from scratch.

Per La Gazzetta dello Sport, an Italian publication, Sinner’s doping case will undergo further scrutiny as three CAS (Court of Arbitration) referees will take up the matter and, with it, investigate the findings. Moreover, the scope of the investigation will not only pertain to the 23-year-old but also to his former athletic trainer Umberto Ferrara and the former physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi – notably responsible for administrating the contaminating spray that led to his doping episode in the first place.

The decision on Sinner’s case is unlikely to be made before February due to several factors. While WADA has acknowledged Sinner’s good faith, the primary goal of his defense is to demonstrate that he was not negligent in any way. If found not negligent, the ineligibility sanction would be zero days. However, if he is deemed “significantly negligent,” he could face a suspension of 12 to 24 months.

However, Sinner is all about business for his touring commitments. Apart from showcasing his athletic prowess, the Italian player has clinched two majors this season and recently, pocketed the biggest paycheck in tennis history.

Jannik Sinner crowned Six Kings Slam exhibition winner with $6M in prize money

Italian superstar Jannik Sinner is on an insurgent wave this year. Despite falling short in a handful of contests, he proved naysayers wrong by topping the Six Kings Slam exhibition event. The highly anticipated event that housed Novak Djokovic, soon-to-be-retired Rafael Nadal, and Carlos Alcaraz, amongst others finessed its lucrative showdowns only to furnish themselves with an Italian champion, who brought laurels to his nation by becoming the World No. 1 this season.

Sinner outclassed Spaniard Alcaraz in the summit clash after Nole downed 22-time Grand Slam winner Nadal for third place at Six Kings in Riyadh. Later, the 23-year-old cashed in on the biggest cheque in the sport’s history – $6 million. While some fans took shots at the Italian after his noteworthy feat owing to his doping saga, Sinner focused on addressing his thrilling rivalry with the young Spanish talent. “Until now, every match was very, very good, but we will always hope this rivalry will last as long as possible.”

Next up, the World No. 1 will take to the court to represent his country for the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga. He will later mark his attendance at the ATP Finals, wherein he will aim to conclude his season on a triumphant note.