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Jannik Sinner - Shanghai Masters 2024
ATP Tennis Players, Jannik Sinner, Tennis News

Jannik Sinner reflects on ‘very tough’ year despite success


Jannik Sinner has admitted that despite 2024 being the best season of his career on the court, he has sometimes ‘lost a little bit of smile’ due to off the court issues including his ongoing doping case.

Sinner claimed his seventh title of the season yesterday after beating Novak Djokovic in straight sets to lift the Shanghai Masters title for the first time in his career.

This title adds to Sinner already winning the Australian Open and US Open, as he confirms his place as the year-end World No.1.

However, hanging over all of this is the fact that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have recently appealed the outcome of Sinner’s original doping case and are wanting a ban of between one and two years.

This came after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Sinner’s contamination plea, after the prohibited substance clostebol was found in the Italian’s system back in March.

When speaking to press after his victory in Shanghai, Sinner spoke about the toll that this whole situation has had on him over the past seven months.

“Well, I know this year has been very, very tough for me because of other circumstances, and, you know, at points I lost a little bit of smile because I had some issues off the court, and then they’re still in my mind sometimes,” Sinner revealed. “So, it’s never easy to play in these kind of circumstances where I am in, but, you know, so I just tried to enjoy in the best possible way I can on the court.

“And, you know, obviously success is something great, and then it’s nice to say thanks to all the people who are working with me daily, who knows me more than most likely all the other people. So, I just try to stay very calm, and not making any problems if you miss shots or you get unlucky sometimes, you know, just trying to keep pushing with the best energy I have in that day. Every day’s a bit different, so I’m happy how I’m handling, you know, the situations on the court.”

The 23-year-old added, “I try to control what I can control, and that’s, for sure, the mind, and also the physical aspect you can control. But the rest, you know, you just have to believe, and trying to stay composed, and especially in important moments in a match.”

Sinner has also had to contend with the loss of his aunt, who he dedicated his US Open title victory to last month.

The two-time major winner went onto explain how success on the court does not always equate to having no problems away from it, “You know, people, they think that by winning or having success that you don’t have any problems, but it’s not true because the situation where I’m in, obviously, it’s not comfortable, and I wish I would not be in this position where I am right now off the court, and playing freely more on the court, and trying even to enjoy it a little bit more.

“But, you know, you have to accept it. I feel like that I’m strong when I go on the court, trying to don’t think about it, and trying to stay focused about everything I do, and I give a hundred percent in every single, you know, match or practice, or when I wake up I try to be focused on every single thing I do.”

It is currently unknown as to when a verdict will be made about Sinner’s case, with arbitration proceedings at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) already underway.

Inside the baseline…

It must be a very strange feeling to have for Jannik Sinner, who has had an outstanding season having only lost seven matches all year! However, there must be a feeling riding over Sinner that this could be his final few tournaments before a potential one to two year ban by the CAS ruling. That being said, Sinner does seem to block it out very well when on-court and looks a more dominant force than ever after winning the Shanghai Masters.

READ NEXT – Novak Djokovic: This has been one of my worst seasons in terms of results

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Matthew Johns, Tennishead Writer, is a professional tennis journalist with a specialist degree in Sports Journalism. He's a keen tennis player having represented his local club and University plus he's also a qualified tennis coach. Matthew has a deep knowledge of tennis especially the ATP Tour and thrives on breaking big tennis news stories for Tennishead.