Jannik Sinner talks about the emotional toll of doping allegations after ATP Finals victory

From winning his maiden Grand Slam to securing eight titles on the ATP Tour, 2024 has been the best season of Jannik Sinner's professional career so far. His latest triumph came on home soil, where the Italian defeated Taylor Fritz to claim his first-ever ATP Finals title. With this victory, Sinner joined the ranks of legends like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic as one of the few players to win the US Open, Australian Open, and ATP Finals in the same calendar year. Furthermore, the 23-year-old achieved the year-end World No.1 ranking, finishing well ahead of competitors like Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz. These remarkable accomplishments in a single season overshadow the fact that Sinner faced a serious doping allegation earlier in the year. Still entangled in the case, Sinner spoke about dealing with the charges after his ATP Finals victory in Turin.

Jannik Sinner opens up about the struggle of facing doping allegations following his ATP Finals victory

Jannik Sinner was embroiled in a doping controversy earlier this year during the Indian Wells Tour. During the ATP Masters event, Sinner tested positive twice for trace amounts of Clostebol, a banned performance-enhancing substance. However, the Italian appealed the charges and was subsequently cleared by an independent tribunal of the ITIA. Sinner had explained at the time that the substance entered his system unintentionally, as his coach had used an over-the-counter ointment to treat a cut on his finger. Following the ITIA’s judgment, Sinner went on to win the US Open title, marking his second Grand Slam of the season.

However, the case reared its ugly head again as WADA appealed the ITIA's ruling to CAS. WADA found the judgment by ITIA "unsatisfactory" and demanded a two-year ban on Sinner. While the case is with CAS, Sinner has claimed two ATP titles with victories in China and Turin. Following his win against Fritz at the ATP Finals, Sinner reflected on the emotional struggles of facing the doping charges. He revealed that the allegations have taken a heavy toll, causing him many sleepless nights as he grapples with the weight of the situation.

“I've kept on thinking about where we went wrong and what we could have done better,” Sinner said. “I had days where I wasn't feeling great; nights when I didn't sleep well," the Italian added.

“But when I put my hat on, I don't think about what's going on beyond the court,” Sinner further added. “I'm fortunate to have people around me who keep me stable. Thanks to them we've continued to work hard every day like there's no tomorrow and we've even improved in this period," the World No.1 ranked player rounded off.

While the doping case is with CAS, Sinner is set to play for Italy at the Davis Cup Finals in Malaga, Spain. The Davis Cup Finals will commence on Tuesday, November 19. Sinner's Italy will face Argentina in the quarter-final. If Italy manages to edge past Argentina, the team will play either the USA or Australia in the semi-final on Sunday, November 23.