Jannik Sinner is set to commence his Australian Open 2025 journey in Melbourne on Monday, facing Chilean player Nicolas Jarry. However, the World No. 1's involvement in this prestigious season-opening Grand Slam has been clouded by controversy stemming from a doping scandal. Last year, Sinner's triumph at the 2024 US Open was marred by a doping incident.

It was disclosed that he had tested positive on two occasions for an anabolic substance in March, but an independent tribunal later accepted his defence, attributing the positive results to unintentional contamination. In September, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed this decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which accepted the appeal. A ruling from CAS is anticipated later this year.

Aussie tennis star Nick Kyrgios has expressed dissatisfaction with the decision for the CAS trial to be conducted behind closed doors. He took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to voice his concerns, stating, “Why behind closed doors? If you have done nothing wrong, then let there be transparency.”

Kyrgios has previously criticized Sinner regarding his doping situation during the Brisbane International, and his concerns have also been echoed by Novak Djokovic.

In addition, doping expert Fritz Sorge, who directs the Institute for Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Research in Nuremberg, believes that the World No. 1 should face suspension. He remarked, “Sinner should be suspended because every athlete is responsible for what he puts into his body. If he wasn't, the World Anti-Doping Agency would make itself ridiculous.”

Furthermore, the International Tennis Integrity Agency's (ITIA) handling of Sinner and Iga Swiatek’s doping cases has drawn criticism from tennis legend Boris Becker. Speaking on Eurosport, he stated, “Yes, it is bad for tennis. A sensible solution must be found so that this does not happen again. If two of the best professionals in our sport are involved, then it is damaging. This undeniably tarnishes our image.”

In contrast, Swiatek served a one-month doping ban, which concluded in December of the previous year. She had tested positive in an out-of-competition sample, and the ITIA accepted her defence that the result was due to unregulated medication, specifically melatonin.

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