JANNIK SINNER was crowned US Open singles champion – less than three weeks after his positive doping tests became public knowledge.
The Italian, the semi-final conqueror of Jack Draper, proved his class and composure to subdue Taylor Fritz 6-3 6-4 7-5 in an anticlimactic final.
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It is his second major of the year – he lifted the Australian Open crown for the first time in January – and underlines his position as world No.1.
Yet it was only on August 20 that the sporting world found out that Sinner had failed two tests for steroid clostebol at Indian Wells in March.
Behind-the-scenes, Sinner, 23, successfully appealed the provisional suspension and was allowed to continue playing on the ATP Tour.
An independent tribunal ruled that Sinner bore “no fault or negligence” after accepting his explanation that the banned substance entered his system during a bare-handed massage from his physiotherapist.
His former staff member had used an over-the-counter spray containing it to treat a cut on his finger and this resulted in “transdermal contamination”.
The news divided opinion among the locker room – Sinner strongly insists he did not dope – but some questioned if he had received preferential treatment as an elite star during the investigation process.
Sinner, however, was able to block out that distraction and noise to become the first Italian male to rule in New York, showing no ill-effects of the wrist injury he sustained in the clash with Draper.
He follows Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Mats Wilander in winning titles on Melbourne Park and Flushing Meadows hard courts in the same season.
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Fritz, 26, is occasionally called by PA announcers as Taylor Swift – perhaps an easy mistake to make – and the American music superstar was watching the action from the Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Yet the Califorinian could not shake off Sinner and will maybe look back on this as a Cruel Summer because he did not end American’s 21-year wait for a homegrown male winner.
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For the most part, for the fans in the 24,000-seater stadium, this final never really got going and lacked both drama and competitive intensity.
There were roars in game seven of the third set when Fritz broke the Sinner serve and was soon serving for the set.
But relentless Sinner was a sinner in the eyes of the home crowd as he broke back in game 10 and then sealed the victory in under two hours and 16 minutes.
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