Over the past week, as Jannik Sinner has taken his first steps toward putting the revelation of his failed doping tests behind him, the Italian has repeated in almost every appearance and interview that he is taking things one match at a time, one day at a time. He is trying to focus only on the immediate task at hand, and blocking out everything else.
Meanwhile, the No. 1 continues to lay the foundation for a title fight at the US Open. On Thursday, Sinner navigated a turbulent opening set against a tough young opponent to reach the third round with a 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 victory over Alex Michelsen of the United States.
Last week, Sinner announced that his previously undisclosed case had been concluded with a ruling by an independent court that he was not at fault or negligent for the banned substance clostebol being found in two anti-doping tests. A few days later, Sinner’s US Open campaign started with a bit of a scare when he trailed American Mackenzie McDonald, but he recovered strongly to reach the second round.
An even greater challenge seemed to await the Italian against Michelsen, a rapidly rising 20-year-old. After reaching his third ATP final at the Winston Salem Open last week, the American is now the youngest player in the top 50 with a career-high ranking of No. 49.
In that final, which he lost to Lorenzo Sonego of Italy, Michelson threw a ball into the crowd in anger, hitting a spectator. According to the rules and the precedent set by similar incidents, he should have been in default. Instead, he was allowed to play until the end. While such an incident would normally generate more discussion, Sinner’s anti-doping case has overshadowed all the minor talking points and controversies.
With Michelson staring down the No. 1 player at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the opening set was tense and competitive, with the two players trading breaks while struggling to defend their second serves. But Sinner completely outplayed his opponent in the decisive moments, allowing him to take the opening set by a narrow margin. With the first set secured, a much more relaxed Sinner stepped up to the baseline and dominated the exchanges as he navigated a comfortable victory.
While he builds momentum on the court, Sinner’s anti-doping case continues to stir debate off the court. Despite facing American players in his first two matches, he has received a warm reception from the crowd. The reaction from his fellow players has been more mixed, with both support and criticism.
“I can’t control the reaction of the players, and if I want to say something to someone, I go there privately, because that’s the kind of person I am,” he said. “But look, overall it’s not been bad. So I’m happy about that.”
Discussions about the case itself have also continued. Sinner’s anti-doping rule violation is a rare example of an athlete successfully challenging the automatic provisional suspensions an athlete receives after being notified of a positive test for a banned substance.
His team acted incredibly quickly, challenging the initial provisional ban on the same day, April 4, that he received the notice and before it was rescinded a day later. For many, it underscores the advantage of money, influence, and a team of professionals around him. After testing positive, some lower-ranked players would likely be scrambling for lawyers and representation and not be able to act so quickly.
After his previous match, Daniil Medvedev noted that what worried him most about anti-doping was that he tested positive for a banned substance without knowing its origin. Sinner was able to quickly determine that he was contaminated with an ointment bought by his fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara, which is often not the case.
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Medvedev said: “For me, the only thing I’m a little bit afraid of is doping cases, to imagine – so he knew what had happened, and good for him, so he knew how to defend himself. Imagine any tennis player in the top 100 getting an email saying, ‘Look, there was cocaine in your blood.’
“You go to them and you say, ‘Well, I’ve never done anything in my life. I don’t know how it got to this point.’ If you don’t know, you get suspended. That’s a bit of a tricky thing, but that’s the doping rules.”
As he continues to navigate this situation, Sinner continues to win. His win-loss record now stands at a tour-leading 50-5 (91%) and he has won his last six matches since winning his fifth title of the year in Cincinnati last week. He will face Christopher O’Connell in the third round after the Australian defeated Sinner’s compatriot Mattia Bellucci 6-3, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3.