Jannik Sinner held his ground and glared. Leaving Taylor Fritz in the dust to claim his first US Open title. What began as a tournament clouded by controversy, with Sinner entangled in a doping saga, quickly transformed into a story of resilience and triumph. Tennis legend Justine Henin weighed in on the matter, expressing confidence on how the doping controversy will become “less and less” with time.

With lingering questions about a doping incident, Sinner’s path to the US Open title was challenging. The controversy threatened to derail his career after he tested positive for Clostebol, a banned substance in March this year. However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) determined that his physiotherapist had accidentally contaminated the samples, exonerating Sinner. Though he managed to avoid a lengthy ban, suspicion followed him into the competition.

However, nothing could stop Sinner from winning his second hard court major(or career) title of the year(first at the Australian Open). Tennis legend Justine Henin, a commentator for Eurosport during the US Open final between Jannik Sinner and Taylor Fritz, discussed how the recent revelations about Sinner’s positive anti-doping tests might have affected the world number 1. “We’ll talk about it less and less and then probably not at all,” she stated as per We Love Tennis. Further, she stated the situations where the topic will still be discussed.

“But in the moments of loss of concentration, of relaxation, we can still imagine that it played a role. He had to manage this situation, which, on an emotional level, must have taken a lot of energy from him. But overall, what management since the start of this tournament! And finally in this first set too, where Fritz helped him a lot.”

Even in the glow of his US Open victory, Sinner candidly reflected on the toll it took on him. “It was, and it’s still, a little bit in my mind. It’s not that it’s gone, but when I’m on court, I try to focus (on) the game, I try to handle the situation the best possible way. … It was not easy, that’s for sure, but … I tried to stay focused, which I guess I’ve done a great job, mentally staying there every point I play.” 

Sinner’s victory in two hours and 16 minutes made him the fourth man to win both the Australian Open and US Open on hard courts in the same year. Joining the elite group of Mats Wilander, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic, Sinner solidified his status as a rising star. At 23 years old, he became the first Italian man to win the US Open and the second Italian singles champion overall, following Flavia Pennetta’s 2015 win. Speaking following his historic triumph, Sinner stressed the title’s importance for Italian tennis overall and dedicated his victory to his family member.

Jannik Sinner dedicates his US Open win to his aunt

The victory meant more to Jannik Sinner than just an achievement on the court—it carried deep emotional significance off the court as well. He dedicated his US Open triumph to his ailing aunt, adding a personal touch to his historic win. Reflecting on his journey, Sinner acknowledged the challenges of the past year, saying, “This title means so much to me.”

Sinner further stated, “I love tennis. I practise a lot for these kind of stages, but off the court there is a life. I would like to dedicate this title to my aunt who is really not feeling well health wise. I don’t know how much I’ll still have her in my life. It’s so nice I can still share a positive moment with her.”

The current No. 1 in the world in singles has won 16 ATP titles, including the Australian Open and US Open Grand Slams in 2024. Now, with a clear focus on his future and a growing list of accolades, Sinner’s resilience and skill will be the defining factors of his legacy, allowing the doping saga to recede into the background.