Every time Jannik Sinner does something spectacular, a group of tennis fans come out trying to remind everyone that Sinner’s doping ban last year began just after the Australian Open but just before the Italian Open (the biggest tournament in his home country of Italy). He didn’t miss big pieces and he didn’t even lose his number 1 ranking.
In other words, it was the easiest doping ban in the history of organized sports. Whether that’s because he’s world No. 1, I couldn’t say…. But it wouldn’t hurt, either.
Sinner recently won the Sunshine Double — taking titles in Indian Wells and Miami. It’s not unheard of, but it’s also not all that common since the circumstances are so different. Indian Wells takes place in the desert, and Miami is apparently in the soup of South Florida. Soni adds a full 2,000 2000 points to his ranking, as the aforementioned doping ban disqualified him from both competitions last year.
Novak Djokovic took a dig at Piers Morgan at the end of 2025 and spent part of his interview complaining that Sinner got special treatment.
Serena Williams said Time Magazine“I could get 20 years if I did.”
Most players were wary of criticizing the offender himself, preferring to focus on the decisions of others that appeared to favor him. Such was the case earlier this year at the Australian Open when a heat warning went into effect when he lost to American Eliot Spizzirri and was stretched to the point of retirement. The Australian Open closed the roof and Sinner came back to win the match.
Players beware. The fans noticed. Other coaches have taken notice. And the fact that HIS coach, Darren Cahill, is very well connected to Tennis Australia was ALSO noticed. And they didn’t notice quietly.
You know what I noticed? That his success puts people first. At the same time they say that everyone loves him so much that they bend over backwards to do him a favor while saying that “nobody” loves him. They called him an automaton and swiped at his lack of emotion. That Sinner is a decent player who treats his opponents with respect and has a charming bromance with Carlos Alcaraz belies the level of vitriol directed at him. And it’s not just jealousy of his success, either, because Alcaraz is just as successful – and people just LOVE HIM!
As I contemplated The Curious Case of Jannik Sinner, it occurred to me: it is strikingly similar to the way the tennis community treated Ivan Lendl. I have vivid memories of the joy with which his fans watched him come out of the French Open, losing shockingly to a tight-knit Michael Chang. Lendl’s crime? Success and stoicism. You can have one or the other – but not both, obviously. Lendl had no shame; it didn’t matter.
It makes me wonder if Soni’s complaints of choice are just excuses. Andre Agassi has admitted that tennis officials hid positive test results while using crystal methamphetamines. And people don’t insult him for probably the best example of choice.
Maybe there is something in the cases. I don’t know. I really don’t know if there is a cabal of Jannik Sinner acolytes scattered loosely through tennis and the wider sports world. Is it possible? I guess? But I feel like it won’t matter in the end.
The tennis world is prepared to respond to the enthusiasm of Federer, Nadal, and Djokovic. Sinner is a different type of player.
