It’s interesting how fortunes can change quickly. Take the example of Jannik Sinner. Just ahead of the US Open, the Italian star was embroiled in a major doping controversy. His samples from the Indian Wells tournament this year tested positive for a banned substance, clostebol. However, Sinner was able to successfully defend his appeal after revealing that he came in contact with it through a spray applied by his physio. Sinner’s explanation was accepted by the tribunal hearing the appeal and the World No. 1 escaped a ban. However, he was massively criticized by many in the tennis world, including Nick Kyrgios.

The Australian star wasn’t happy with the ITIA keeping this case away from the public eye for a long time and giving a clean chit to Sinner. However, now Watching Sinner excel at the ongoing US Open, Kyrgios changed his stance and praised him for performing well despite the ongoing controversy. Earlier today, renowned journalist, Ben Rothenberg, pointed out how the lack of transparency at the top level left a bad taste in tennis community. Replying to his tweet, Kyrgios mentioned, “One of your better tweets. Nonetheless not easy to deal with all of this going on and still performing the way he is. Definitely the favourite now.”

Earlier, Kyrgios had slammed the ITIA for giving a clean chit to Sinner and had called for the Italian to be banned from the sport. Taking to social media, Kyrgios stated angrily, “Ridiculous – whether it was accidental or planned. You get tested twice with a banned (steroid) substance… you should be gone for 2 years. Your performance was enhanced. Massage cream…. Yeah nice.” However, Kyrgios wasn’t the only one who came down hard on Sinner in the doping case. A few days back, even Roger Federer put forward his own assessment of the whole saga.

Roger Federer questions the inconsistency in Jannik Sinner’s case

More often than not, players have been at the receiving end after testing positive for the banned substance, irrespective of the way they came in contact with it. Before Sinner’s case, former World Number 1, Simona Halep, faced months on the sidelines due to her doping ban. Reflecting on Sinner’s case, Federer talked about the inconsistent process.

The Swiss maestro revealed, “It’s not something we want to see in our sport, these types of news, regardless if he did something or not. Or any player did. It’s just noise that we don’t want. But the inconsistency, potentially, that he didn’t have to sit out while they were not 100 percent sure what was going on – I think that’s the question here that needs to be answered.”

Nonetheless, with his performance in the US Open taking precedence over the doping controversy now, Sinner would look to keep the momentum going and prove his critics wrong by winning the title. He will face Britain’s Jack Draper in the semi-final for a place in the summit clash. Do you think Jannik Sinner can win the US Open 2024? Let us know in the comments.