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The making of Janik Sinner: A looming doping case, mental fortitude and slice of history

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The making of Janik Sinner: A looming doping case, mental fortitude and slice of history
The making of Janik Sinner: A looming doping case, mental fortitude and slice of history

New Delhi: World No.1 Jannik Sinner on Sunday defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-3 in straight sets taking two hours and 27 minutes to retain the Australian Open crown at the Rod Laver Arena at the Melbourne Park on Sunday.

This was a stark contrast from his maiden Grand Slam championship at the same venue a year ago. Unlike the lopsided match against Zverev in the final, the Italian youngster had to grind his way to upset Daniil Medvedev in a five-setter humdinger, where he was 0-2 down. He became the fourth player to win back-to-back Australian Open crowns after Andre Agassi, Roger Federer, and Novak Djokovic.

However, the journey to defend the title hasn’t been a smooth sailing. No doubt that Sinner saw many highs in the last calendar year, won his first Grand Slam title, doubled it in Australia, clinched maiden ATP World Tour title, helped Italy to defend their Davis Cup crown on the home turf, and finished the calendar year as the World No.1 player for the first time.

The Doping Allegation and CAS Appeal

In the middle of all the accolades attained as mentioned above, Sinner was hit with the doping scandal when he was tested positive twice for a banned substance (steroid clostebol) in March last year. Although the 23-year-old was cleared of any wrongdoing by an independent tribunal, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) launched an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the clearance.

The global anti-doping agency wants the player to be handed a ban of one or two years. The CAS hearing will take place on April 16 this year. This will be a month before the French Open, the next major Grand Slam event to take place.

Sinner didn’t let the doping scenes impact his performance on the court and kept battling the challenges with prudence and grit. Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill has admitted that the player has been dealing with pressure for around nine months and credits to his buoyancy for keeping his game ahead.

“He has a clear conscience with what’s going on. That’s the main reason he’s been able to go onto the court and walk tall and have that belief and play with the confidence that he has,” Cahill said ahead of the final.

Throughout the Australian Open campaign, Sinner has endured cramps and was tested by the searing Melbourne heat. He was seen shivering inside a towel during his match against Holger Rune of Denmark in the Round of 16. After the match, he revealed that he was sick. This left concerns over his fitness en route to the successive final.

“We worked a lot to be in this position and it is an amazing feeling to share this moment with all of you,” Sinner said to his team.

“I know a part of the team is at home and my family, but it is amazing to share these feelings with you. I know Darren [Cahill] it is probably your last Australian Open as a coach and I am very, very happy to share this trophy with you. Everything started a little bit when I changed my combination of coaches and physio, I am very happy to have you all here,” he added.

Whether the CAS hearing goes in the favour of Sinner or not, the Italian player has shown how valiantly he can come on the court and join the greatest to be in a top club.

 Jannik Sinner successfully defended his Australian Open title, defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets. This victory comes amidst a pending doping appeal, with the World Anti-Doping Agency challenging his clearance. Despite the pressure, Sinner showcased remarkable resilience, highlighting his mental fortitude and commitment to the sport.  Tennis Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today

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