Posted by Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis Now | Friday, January 10, 2025
Photo credit: Kelly Defina/Getty
The first slam of the season is probably Jannik Sinner Last tournament for 6 months, former world number one said Andy Roddick.
Hall of Famer Roddick will help Sinner successfully defend his Australian Open title this month following a potential doping suspension.
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Last March, Sinner tested positive twice for the banned steroid clostebol at “low levels,” the International Tennis Integrity Agency said in August, just days before the start of the U.S. Open. Sinner was not suspended or allowed to play because an independent tribunal found him “not at fault” for steroid contamination of his body. Sinner went on to win the 2024 US Open.
come Sinner’s steroid case is being appealed. Court of Arbitration for Sports—and calls for a one- to two-year ban for the U.S. Open champion.
his writing AO Preview Column for BetwayRoddick said he believed Sinner was likely to receive a six-month or one-year ban from CAS after winning her third Grand Slam last year.
Top-seeded Sinner begins his title defense against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, who plays a big role. Sinner sits atop the draw, while rival Carlos Alcaraz and 10-time AO champion Novak Djokovic sit in the same three quarters at the bottom of the draw.
“Jannik Sinner is the strongest player in the men’s division and I think he is the one who will win.” Roddick told Betway: “Will he dominate this year like he did in 2024?
“With the cloud of the WADA case over him, it’s possible this may be the last we see of him for six months or a year. A lot will depend on how his case unfolds, but I think he’s the best. The best hardcourt in the world. player.
“He’s been wrestling with that nickname for over a decade to take that mantle away from Novak Djokovic. I think the guy who can win in Australia is the Sinner, and I certainly wouldn’t bet on him.”
Alcaraz, the Roland Garros and Wimbledon champion, has handed Sinner three of his six losses in 2024. Alcaraz is playing to become the youngest player to achieve a career Grand Slam.
Former US Open champion Roddick says consistency will be key in the Spanish superstar’s Oz Open quest.
“Carlos Alcaraz is his closest rival, but everyone knows he needs to find more consistency and he won’t say anything else.” Roddick told Betway: “He has won two Slams in 2024, which is crazy. We know his top level may be the best in the world. He has won every match against Sinner in sanctioned events, but consistency is an issue. . Who is more likely to lose early on? It’s a slam between Sinner and Alcaraz?
“But I listened to him at an event in Charlotte, where I live, and he very quickly glossed over the two slams and spent a lot of time talking about how he wanted to be more consistent. Here’s what I think: Okay. “I had a better year than my entire career in 5 weeks!” “I think he’s very focused on where he can improve, and I think that makes him even more impressive.”
