Jannik Sinner's harsh reception at the US Open after the doping scandal

Jannik Sinner booed at US Open

The Italian tennis player Jannik Sinnerleader of the ATP rankings, began the US Open with a hard-fought victory over Mackenzie McDonald (140 in the world), overcoming the challenge of recovering from falling in the first set and the tense atmosphere following his recent doping case. The transalpine won in two hours and twenty-four minutes with a score of 2-6, 6-2, 6-1 and 6-2and advanced to the next round where he will face the young American Alex Michelsen (49 on the list). It is worth remembering that Sinner has just been crowned champion at the Masters 1000 in Cincinnati last week.

After failing two anti-doping tests, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) declared Sinner innocent after determining that a drug used by his physiotherapist, containing clostebol, caused the positives during the Indian Wells tournament. Jannik, 23, lost the money and points accumulated in that event, but received no additional sanction. The independent panel accepted that the contamination during a treatment was “not intentional”.

But the controversy did not cease, to the point that while some of his colleagues defended him, others, like Nick Kyrgiosthey lashed out at him. “It’s ridiculous, whether it was accidental or planned. They test you twice with a banned substance (steroids)… You should be out for two years. Your performance has improved. Massage cream… Yes, it’s fine…” he wrote on his account on the social network X.

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Well, her performance at the US Open represented her first exposure to the public after the event. And as soon as she stepped onto the court, He was met with boos from those present, with some applause mixed in. Although as the match progressed he began to receive expressions of affection, until the final recognition for the victory. “It means a lot to me. The support here is always incredible,” he said.

Perhaps that initial slap in the face from the stands and all the talk in the last few days affected him at the start of the match. “I didn’t start off in the best way, the first match of a tournament is never easy and I tried to stay mentally and get into rhythm little by little,” he admitted. Despite the nervous start, he managed to recover and show his best version to win the following sets with authority.

The case caused quite a stir in the tennis world due to the magnitude of the tournament and the nature of the positive. However, the Italian says he feels liberated for having proven his innocence. “I try to remind myself every day that I have done nothing wrong,” he said in statements to ESPN.

“Since I found out this had happened, I wasn’t myself on the court. I lost my joy and forced myself to keep fighting for every ball, but it was difficult to compete like that,” he added in the preview of the match against McDonald’s..

Jannik Sinner’s main goal at this US Open is to advance beyond the quarter-finals reached in 2022. In addition, within the men’s draw, a possible clash with the Spaniard Carlos Alcaraz (No. 3) in the semi-finals and with the Serbian Novak Djokovic (No. 2) in an eventual final, increase the expectation and interest in his participation.

* The main alternatives of mourning

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For this tournament, the physiotherapist Giacomo Naldiaccused of the error that led to doping, was dismissed from the Italian team. However, he published a strong letter on social media seeking to respond to the criticism. “It has been a very hard time for me and my team. It still is, because everything is very fresh. Now I also know who is my friend and who is not, because my friends know that I would never do something like that, that we are together. Now it is time to turn the page, my reputation is not something I can really control,” he said.

“It is indeed true that there are two paths to justice: the real one sanctioned by the Courts and the (unfortunately more effective) one sanctioned by the media. The latter is too often superficial and rarely based on real facts, which in this case, moreover, are public. As a spectator, I have always wondered what the purpose of the spectacularisation of judicial events is, if not to judge, create or destroy people and their reputations. Today, as a protagonist, I have the confirmation!” he wrote.

“It hurts me to think that I am no longer part of this, it is hard not to be in the stands with you and cheering Jannik on, but I will have to get used to it quickly. Finally, thank you to all the people who did not judge superficially these days,” he concluded.

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