Nick Kyrgios continues, unabated, with his jibes directed at world number one Jannik Sinner, much to the intrigue of tennis enthusiasts. This incessant banter stems from the doping scandal that has engulfed Sinner, a situation that has seemingly gotten under the skin of the 2022 Australian Open doubles victor. Sinner’s acceptance of a three-month ban imposed by WADA last week hasn’t deterred Kyrgios from keeping the Italian under his crosshairs. But what exactly sparked off this latest round of Kyrgios’ jabs at the three-time Major winner?
Alexandre Muller, French professional tennis player participating in the Rio Open, shared an update on February 21 after defeating rising star Joao Fonseca and Tomas Martin Etcheverry from Argentina in the R16. Following a grueling match that ended in a straight-set victory for Muller (7-5, 7-6(5)), he was asked to undergo a midnight doping test. He vented his frustration via a social media post, criticizing the ATP tour for the untimely test.
Doping tests are standard protocol in the world of professional tennis, conducted to check for the presence of any prohibited substances. However, the timing of Muller’s test – conducted while he was still recuperating from his match – didn’t sit well with him. This incident presented Kyrgios with another opportunity to snidely comment on Sinner’s doping controversy. He quickly responded to Muller’s post, advising him to claim ignorance and blame his team if he tested positive.
Kyrgios’ comment was a clear reference to Sinner’s defense in his own doping scandal. After testing positive for the anabolic agent Clostebol on two different occasions, Sinner, along with his team, managed to convince the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that he was not at fault. Sinner claimed that his former physiotherapist unknowingly introduced the banned substance into his system by applying a spray containing Clostebol on a wound during a massage. The ITIA absolved Sinner of any wrongdoing in August, citing “no fault or negligence”.
Despite the ITIA’s verdict, Kyrgios has not backed down from his criticism. Sinner’s lawyer recently stepped in to defend his client against the backlash, criticizing those who were quick to judge without being privy to all the details.
Nick Kyrgios has been particularly vocal about his disappointment with Sinner’s 90-day ban. He publicly expressed his dissatisfaction, commenting that the sentence was unfair and marked a “sad day for tennis”. Even Novak Djokovic, a 24-time Slam champion, voiced his concerns about the perceived favoritism. Former British ATP professional Tim Henman also weighed in, suggesting that the timing of the ban seemed suspiciously convenient, as it wouldn’t disrupt Sinner’s participation in major tournaments, including the French Open.
Jeremy Singer, Sinner’s legal representative, has staunchly defended his client amidst the controversy. He hit back at the critics, arguing that while the players were quick to judge, they were not aware of the full story. Singer also pointed out the hypocrisy of players criticizing Sinner while trying to downplay similar incidents happening to them.
Regardless of the defense put forth by Sinner and his legal team, Kyrgios shows no signs of letting up on his criticism. The question remains, will Kyrgios ever stop his relentless jibes at Sinner? Only time will tell.