Apart from his team, now part of his past, both glory and murmurs have accompanied Sinner throughout this year’s journey in equal measure. His career had been like an emotionless roller coaster, as it was merely a continuous, rapid rise to the top of the ATP rankings, where he has reigned since 10 June of this year.
However, life struck a deal with destiny to throw a spanner in the works of Sinner’s otherwise flawless path. That’s when, unexpectedly, a major fall occurred, the revelation of a doping case came to light in mid-August.
His story is a reminder that reputation can be fragile, but a true legacy is built through actions, not words. Along this tough road, he’s found few allies, mainly his compatriots, with Berrettini leading the pack, the Nadal camp, who stated that they “didn’t believe there was any intent,” and more recently, Casper Ruud, ATP’s number nine, who also defended the young prodigy from San Candido.
However, on this journey, Sinner also encountered many detractors. Denis Shapovalov, Roberto Carballés Baena, Nick Kyrgios, Lucas Pouille, and other players complained that the tribunal had been biased, protecting the number one due to his fame and his high ranking. Others, like Daniil Medvedev, Novak Djokovic, or Carlos Alcaraz, who could have easily added fuel to the fire, decided to step back, avoiding further escalation.
The Italian had navigated turbulent waters during those summer weeks, leading him to face a reputational crisis of biblical proportions. The tennis world held its breath as Sinner weathered this storm. From the pinnacle of success to the depths of doubt. However, curiously, he reached a safe harbour by snatching the US Open on 9 September. The warmth of the crowd, supporting him, seemed to bury the hatchet.
Sinner took matters into his own hands. He announced that he had hired Djokovic’s former fitness coach, Marco Panichi, after being fully cleared of doping, despite testing positive twice for the banned substance clostebol.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) did not file, nor will it file, any appeal against the ruling that exonerated the 23-year-old tennis player, thus freeing him from any blame or negligence. “Welcome to the team,” Sinner wrote on social media last week, alongside a picture of himself with his compatriot and newly-recruited physiotherapist, Ulises Badio.
