Jannik Sinner has a chance to secure the 2024 US Open final, and some fans may resent it in light of his doping case, but John McEnroe wants people to move on.
The Italian's doping saga remains a hot topic this year and probably for some more years. It was the first time the World No. 1 player at that time tested positive for a banned substance, which in itself created a lot of discussion.
The way the case was handled added more drama, so it just became an avalanche, making it hard to determine the most factual truth. Sinner spoke his truth, which most fans and players accepted, even though there have been those who didn’t buy all of it.
The repercussions of this case will be felt for many years to come, as some legends like Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic called for more transparency in the whole process.
Even weeks after it happened, the conversation hasn’t died down, especially as Sinner is enjoying a really good run at the 2024 US Open. The most ardent tennis fans will use this to argue that he's benefited from doping, which wouldn’t be true because the amount found in his system is insufficient to yield any kind of advantage.
Another former ATP player, John McEnroe, wants people to move on and stop focusing on the past, as the Italian played was cleared of any wrongdoing.
"People think that with people in all sports… you never know. He’s handled it very well, that’s for sure. I thought it would affect him more, honestly, on the court. In the first round, I think it did because he was a set and a break down. He seems to have been able to move past it and it seems people are willing to."
"I don’t know enough about the circumstances, but when you hear it’s one billionth of one particle, you start to feel like that certainly sounds like it couldn’t do much. Look, I’m a tennis fan and I want to go with believing what ended up happening."
"I don’t have any other information and I don’t know what he took. I’d like to move on and there will always be something (people asking questions) because it is hard not to think about that at some level. I’m hoping that the conclusion they came up with was true."
Sinner's semi-final against Jack Draper will be a very interesting affair. The Italian has handled himself very well on the courts so far, playing superb tennis, but he's facing a player who has yet to drop a set at Flushing Meadows this year and is playing the best tennis of his career.
Players in that type of form are always dangerous. While Sinner is the favorite, things could become quite interesting if he doesn't find his best tennis. He might even have to play against the crowd, which would be new for him.
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