“A moment of total darkness,” Jannik Sinner reveals how he reacted after finding out about the positive doping test
Jannik Sinner opens up about how he reacted after his manager, Alex Vittur, told him he tested positive for two doping tests.
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Jannik Sinner (Image via CNN)
Jannik Sinner‘s doping saga has been a major strain on his flawless run of form this season. The Italian recently described how he received the news about testing positive for the banned Clostebol, which was found in his report during the Indian Wells Masters. He has since not forgotten how shocked he was that day.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) revealed in August that the World No. 1 had avoided a ban for failing two doping tests. It added that after an independent tribunal inquiry, it was ruled that he was not to blame for Clostebol entering his system. However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the organization’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sports.
The doping saga has, in some way, overshadowed Sinner’s exceptional 2024 season so far. The 23-year-old claimed his first of seven titles this season at the Australian Open in January. He then won three Masters 1000 titles in Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai. His last major title victory was at the US Open in September.
During an interview, Sinner revealed that he was in Monte Carlo for the Masters event when his manager, Alex Vittur, told him about the test result coming out positive. He added that after he heard the news, he felt a moment of total darkness.
I don’t wish anyone to go through what I went through. I was in Monte Carlo and Alex Vittur called me and said ‘Jannik, you’re positive’. I replied, ‘yes Alex, I’m always positive’. And he said ‘no Jannik, you’re positive for doping’. I had a moment of total darkness, I didn’t know what to say. Nothing came out of my mouth. I immediately tried to understand how it could have happened, I hadn’t done anything. I didn’t even want to believe it: I felt lost.
Jannik Sinner said via Esquire UK
The news indeed affected Sinner’s performance at the Monte Carlo Masters. He failed to reach the tournament’s final after losing in three sets to Stefanos Tsitsipas. For the next two months, Sinner went without winning a title.
Mats Wilander backs Jannik Sinner to win the ATP Finals in Turin
Jannik Sinner will return to the court at the ATP Finals for the first time since competing in the Six Kings Slam. He withdrew from the Paris Masters due to a virus. He is now the favorite to win the season-ending Finals in Turin because of his performance this season.
In fact, the 23-year-old has been backed by Tennis legend Mats Wilander to claim the title. Sinner will be using the Italian crowd to his advantage when the tournament starts on November 10. He used it efficiently last year, finishing as runners-up after a loss to Novak Djokovic.
He won the two hard court Grand Slams that we had, and he won another five tournaments. Also, it’s back in Italy. If this happened last year, I think there’d be a lot of pressure on him. But he already showed up last year, beating Novak in the Round Robin, and of course, losing in the final.
Mats Wilander said via Eurosport
Sinner will open his ATP Finals campaign against Alex de Minaur in what will be the eighth meeting between the two. The former has won all their last seven meetings. He last defeated the Aussie 7-5, 6-4 at the Rotterdam Open in February.
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Victor Okechukwu
(688 Articles Published)