Jannik Sinner is ‘playing with a clear conscience’ amid doping case, coach Darren Cahill says

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Giant billboard photos of him grace nearly every piazza and street in the city. Fans have traveled from every corner of Italy to see him. The crowd chants his name before, during and after all of his matches.

For many other players, all of the attention — amid a pending doping case, too — might be too much to handle.

Not so for Jannik Sinner.

The humble tennis player from the German-speaking region of Alto Adige, who in the last year has overshadowed soccer players to become Italy’s biggest sports star, just keeps on winning.

“You need to be a special type of person to be able to embrace all that pressure and come here and feel the pressure but still be able to perform at your very best,” Darren Cahill, one of Sinner’s co-coaches, told The Associated Press at the ATP Finals.

“It’s a huge step to be able to do what he’s done in the last 12 months and to consistently do it time and time again,” Cahill added. “But the more you win against the best players in the world, the more belief you gain in yourself as a player. … It’s been a great learning year for him.”

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Sinner is playing at home for the first time since it was announced before his U.S. Open title that he tested positive for an anabolic steroid in two separate drug tests in March.

A decision by an independent tribunal to clear Sinner of wrongdoing was appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency in September and the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration for Sport is expected to make a final ruling on the case next year.

“He’s playing with a clear conscience and he’s been doing it since April,” Cahill said. “We don’t know what the future holds and we’ll just keep trying to embrace him and support him. … He’s been inspirational. To be working with him at the moment and to watch him accomplish what he’s accomplished is pretty special.”

Sinner to step up work with new trainers in offseason

Sinner’s explanation was that the banned performance-enhancer entered his system unintentionally through a massage from his physiotherapist, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat his own cut finger. The spray was given to the physiotherapist by Sinner’s fitness trainer.

Sinner fired the physiotherapist and fitness trainer and added two new members to his team, Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, both of whom who previously worked with Novak Djokovic.

The real work with Panichi and Badio will begin after the season ends at the Davis Cup finals next week.

“You don’t win two Slams if you’re not physically prepared,” said Simone Vagnozzi, Sinner’s other co-coach, referring to the player’s Australian Open and U.S. Open titles this year. “But Jannik is still only 23 so there’s still a lot of work to be done — and not only physically.”

Cahill says Sinner and Alcaraz will play ‘70 times’

The only player capable of beating Sinner more than once this year has been Carlos Alcaraz.

Alcaraz won all three official meetings in 2024 but Sinner got a measure of revenge in the title match at the Six Kings Slam exhibition in Saudi Arabia last month.

The pair could meet again in the semifinals on Saturday.

“Carlos and Jannik are going to play 70 times in the next 15 years,” Cahill said. “Every time you get a chance to step onto the court with Carlos it’s a great opportunity to play against the best and to learn and keep improving. It’s like going to school, doing your homework. Keep on learning and try to get better every time.”

Sinner and Alcaraz have already played 10 official matches, with Alcaraz leading the rivalry 6-4.

If they do meet 70 times, that would break the men’s Open era record of 60 meetings between Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

“The style of play they both have, the excitement, the joy they bring to the court, it’s not just for us to sit there and be coaches of Jannik,” Cahill said. “We’re fans of the game as well, so we get to enjoy that.”

Cahill also coached Agassi, Hewitt and Halep to No. 1

Cahill calls Vagnozzi Sinner’s “main coach” and “main voice.”

“He’s the one that delivers all the information,” Cahill said.

But Cahill brings the experience. Sinner is the fourth player he has coached to No. 1 after Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt and Simona Halep.

And likely the last.

At 59, Cahill says Sinner is the final player he’ll coach “fulltime.”

How long might Cahill continue with Sinner?

“Whatever he wants,” Cahill said. “There’s always a right time to get a new voice, get new inspiration, a new set of eyes. ... (But) everything is going really well with us at the moment.”

Sinner drives a vespa to practice in Monaco

Cahill recently posted a photo on Instagram of Sinner driving Badio to practice on a red Vespa in Monaco.

Might driving a scooter around a city with streets of hairpin turns made famous by its Formula 1 race be risky for the top-ranked player?

“Most tennis players have a little bit of the risk factor in their lives,” Cahill said with a laugh.

Sinner won junior titles as a skier before switching to tennis fulltime and also hits the slopes during the offseason.

“They play a fast sport. It’s an emotional sport,” Cahill added. “So sometimes you have to relieve a little bit of tension. He’s a very sensible young man and he’s not going to do anything that’s going to jeopardize his career long term.”

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis