Carlos Alcaraz has now won all three meetings with Jannik Sinner (Picture: Getty)
Carlos Alcaraz beat Jannik Sinner 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) in an epic China Open final on Wednesday amid the Italian’s ‘sleepless nights’ over his ongoing doping scandal.
The two young men are seen as the new poster boys of men’s tennis and are tipped the dominate the sport for years to come as the Big Three era winds down.
Spain’s world No.3 Alcaraz won the Wimbledon and French Open titles this year while Italy’s world No.1 Sinner tasted glory at the Australian Open and US Open.
Sinner has attracted huge controversy, though, after he failed two drugs tests in March and avoided a suspension from the International Tennis Integrity Agency.
It was thought that Sinner had escaped a ban over the failed drugs tests but it recently emerged that the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has got involved.
WADA questioned why Sinner was found blameless, and has officially appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, calling for a ban ‘between one and two years’.
Sinner, who has always insisted he is innocent, said ahead of his showdown against Alcaraz in Bejing that he’s had ‘sleepless nights’ over the controversy surrounding him.
Jannik Sinner doping scandal explained
Jannik Sinner twice tested positive for clostebol, a steroid that can be used to build muscle mass.
He was cleared by a tribunal after they learned his physio applied spray to a cut on his hand before giving the player a bare-handed massage. This was said to have caused ‘contamination’ and the case was closed.
But the case is back open after WADA lodged an appeal against the decision to find him blameless – describing it as ‘not correct under the applicable rules’ – and a potential ban is now firmly back on the cards.
‘ I always try to remind myself that I haven’t done anything wrong,’ Sinner said. ‘For sure I had sleepless nights during this time. Now again it’s going to be not easy.’
Amid the doping scandal, Sinner progressed all the way to the China Open final, where he lost to Alcaraz despite going 3-0 ahead in the deciding tie-breaker.
Speaking after his defeat in the final, meanwhile, Sinner said: ‘To my team and my box and my family… everyone who supports me daily and who understands me, which is sometimes not easy… The work never stops.
Jannik Sinner has thanked his family and team for their support (Picture: Getty)
‘I’m obviously very happy to be in this position. Today we fell short, but it was a great battle again. In a couple of days, there is a new opportunity. Thanks so much for your support.’
Alcaraz, who has become just the second Spanish man to win the China Open after Rafael Nadal, added: ‘Jannik… What can I say about you. The year you’re having is unbelievable. You deserve it.. with your team and the work you put every day. I’ve seen you working when …read more
Source:: Metro
