Jannik Sinner continues to impress with his ability to rise to the occasion! The World No. 1 recently clinched his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open. But what stands out even more is his calm and strong demeanor on the court, despite the ongoing chaos of his doping controversy that began in March last year. You might expect him to falter, but there’s no sign that he’s letting the case get the best of him. Last season, he won eight titles and made a strong comeback this year at the AO. Talk about resilience! Now as Sinner’s hearing date approaches, more insiders are sharing their perspectives.

To catch you up, while the ITIA initially cleared Sinner in August, WADA reopened the case in September by appealing against ITIA’s verdict in the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), just as the ATP tour shifted to Asia. Despite this turmoil, Sinner thrived, winning titles at Indian Wells, Miami, Halle, Cincinnati, and even the US Open. What kept him going?

Jasmine Paolini’s coach, Renzo Furlan, spoke about Sinner’s challenges during this period. He noted, “There was always this doping situation hanging over his head. I said to him: ‘You’ve managed to do extraordinary things even under this pressure.’” Sinner responded, “You know how it went in Cincinnati? Things could have gone well or badly.” At that time, Jannik was facing intense scrutiny; his positive test results at the Indian Wells Masters had just been revealed.

During the Cincinnati tournament, he faced Alexander Zverev in the semifinals but had to attend an ITIA hearing just hours before stepping onto Centre Court. Furlan recalled, “‘For the first time, we rented a house instead of a hotel room. We had two cars to transport us. I drove one and my team drove the other. I needed these moments to myself. It’s something that may sound silly, but it gave me great peace of mind.’” This approach proved effective as Sinner triumphed over Zverev in a thrilling match.

Despite showing signs of discomfort from a hip issue, Sinner delivered stunning shot-making to defeat Zverev 7-6(9), 5-7, 7-6(4) in three hours and seven minutes. He not only won the Cincinnati Open but also overcame Frances Tiafoe in the finals for another title. Furlan emphasized Sinner’s extraordinary qualities: “It’s worth remembering that this guy, before the semi-final against Zverev, had to be heard from 4 am to 10 am. He was then acquitted and won his match in three sets. Only someone with extraordinary qualities can do that.”

However, the threat of a ban still hangs over him as Sinner maintains his position as World No. 1 with 11,830 points—nearly 4,000 ahead of Zverev. With his hearing coming up in April, the Italian has chosen not to engage in further discussions about it.

Jannik Sinner shares his honest views on the doping controversy

Initially, the ITIA accepted Sinner’s explanation that the banned substance entered his system through a spray his former physio used to treat a cut. Following the ITIA’s verdict on grounds of “no fault or negligence,” WADA quickly appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which confirmed receipt a week later. WADA is now pushing for a one- to two-year ban for Jannik Sinner. As per the ITIA, the hearing is set for April 16-17 at CAS. If found guilty of taking a banned substance, this three-time Grand Slam champion could be sidelined from competition. Talk about pressure!

Speaking on WADA’s decision in September, Sinner didn’t hold back on his feelings: “I am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent. It is difficult to see what will be gained by asking a different set of three judges to look at the same facts and documentation all over again.” He added, “This being said, I have nothing to hide, and as I have done throughout the summer, I will cooperate fully with the appeal process and provide whatever may be needed to prove my innocence once again.”

Even after his big win at the Australian Open, Sinner is trying to keep things light. “Right now, I want to enjoy this moment,” he said shortly after his final match. “The hearing date is set, but I’m not thinking about it for now.” With just two months until that crucial hearing, he’s got a lot on his plate—balancing tournaments while dealing with all this off-court chaos. So, what do you think? Can Sinner keep up his winning streak until then? Let us know in the comments below.