Why Jannik Sinner’s US Open hopes could be affected by the ‘Drake Curse’

Oli Dickson Jefford 03 Sep 2025 9:30 PM

ATP Tour star Jannik Sinner and rapper Drake.

Jannik Sinner lifted the US Open title in 2024, and it would come as no surprise to most if the Italian were to successfully defend his title in New York over the next week.

The Italian has dropped just one set across his opening four matches at the US Open and his fourth-round win was his most emphatic yet, the 24-year-old needing just 81 minutes to dispatch in-form 17th seed Alexander Bublik — dropping just three games against an opponent who had not dropped serve once in his three previous matches.

Many have predicted that the Italian will ultimately go on to face Carlos Alcaraz once again in the final, in what would be a historic third Grand Slam final of the season between the two.

However, will Sinner face an unlikely obstacle on his way to US Open glory over the next few days?

A huge wager from Drake has attracted huge attention, and not necessarily for reasons that Sinner will enjoy.

What is the ‘Drake Curse’ — and could it affect Sinner?

If you’re a long-time sports and music fan, you will likely already be aware of the ‘Drake Curse’, and how famous — or infamous — the star’s big wagers have become over the years.

The Canadian rapper and singer, best known for songs such as ‘One Dance’ and ‘God’s Plan’, has publicly placed a large amount of money on various sports bets over the years, and has not always been successful.

The website TheDrakeCurse.com (yes, there is actually a website) has tracked the Canadian’s bets over the years, claiming that the 38-year-old has placed 80 separate high-profile bets over the years.

Tennis News

Jannik Sinner nearly caught up in security incident at the US Open as fan is slapped down

The Novak Djokovic record Jannik Sinner broke with Alexander Bublik US Open demolition

While the site claims that Drake is currently ‘not cursed’, with total bets of $35.2m and winnings of $36.17m, he has reportedly lost 57 of his 90 bets.

His biggest loss came in 2022, when he bet a staggering $1,595,467.00 on UFC fighter Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira — only for the star to lose.

And, while the majority of his bets have come in UFC, NFL, or basketball, the Canadian has bet on tennis three times.

All three of his bets have somehow involved Sinner, with a mixed bag for the rapper so far.

Twelve months ago, he bet $210,000 on Taylor Fritz to beat Sinner in the 2024 US Open final, a decision that did not pay off after the Italian’s straight-sets win.

However, he then successfully bet on Sinner beating Alexander Zverev in this year’s Australian Open final, winning $345,000 after placing $250,000 on the world No 1 to triumph.

Despite winning that second bet, Drake is still down $115,000 across his two bets — but could move into profit this week.

The star has now revealed his latest tennis wager: a $300,000 bet on Sinner to lift his fourth Grand Slam title in New York this week.

The Italian returns to court against compatriot Lorenzo Musetti in Wednesday’s quarter-final, and, while he already has one high-profile music fan in Seal, he may have another chart-topper in his corner.