Nick Kyrgios fires a fresh swipe at Jannik Sinner over failed drug tests
Nick Kyrgios has continued his attack on world No 1 Jannik Sinner, after suggesting the Italian should have been banned for failing two drug tests earlier this year.
Sinner said he was “very disappointed and also surprised” to be facing the renewed threat of a ban after the World Anti-Doping Agency launched an appeal against a ruling of “no fault or negligence” for two positive tests he returned in March.
Sinner, who won the US Open earlier this month, twice tested positive for an anabolic steroid in March but on August 20 an independent tribunal determined he was not to blame and imposed no punishment.
The tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the banned substance entered his body as a result of a massage from his physio, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on their finger.
Kyrgios has been an outspoken critic of Sinner’s success in escaping a ban for his failed doping tests and responding to an X post suggesting every player who loses to the Italian must feel he should not be on a tennis court right now, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist wrote: “Yep. Ridiculous lol.”
Sinner has admitted the ongoing doping case is affecting him on a daily basis, but he is trying to focus on the job in hand.
“This year has been very, very tough for me because of other circumstances and at points I lost a little bit of smile because I had some issues off the court, and then they’re still in my mind sometimes,” he said.
“So, it’s never easy to play in these kind of circumstances where I am in, but, you know, so I just tried to enjoy in the best possible way I can on the court.
“And, you know, obviously, success is something great, and then it’s nice to say thanks to all the people who are working with me daily, who knows me more than most likely all the other people.
“I just try to stay very calm, and not making any problems if you miss shots or you get unlucky sometimes, you know, just trying to keep pushing with the best energy I have in that day. Every day’s a bit different, so I’m happy how I’m handling, you know, the situations on the court.
“I try to control what I can control, and that’s, for sure, the mind, and also the physical aspect you can control. But the rest, you know, you just have to believe, and try to stay composed, especially in important moments in a match.”
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Kyrgios made his latest high-profile contribution to the debate around Sinner after he confirmed he will be making his return to tennis and hopes to play in his home Grand Slam at the Australian Open in January.
“I am coming back because something is keeping me around the game,” stated.
“I have beaten pretty much every person that has been put in front of me, made a final of a Grand Slam, won a doubles title in a Grand Slam, won multiple titles and made money.”
“I think the one thing that is now on my target is a Grand Slam. I think that will be the only thing that will shut people up at the end of the day. That’ll be my deep motivation.”
Kyrgios will take time to get up to speed after barely hitting a ball in competitive tennis in two years, but all fans will be hoping he is drawn against defending champion Sinner for what would be a compelling grudge match at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
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