Will Unforced Error Make Sinner Concede Crucial A Match Point?
Will Unforced Error Make Sinner Concede Crucial A Match Point?

The spectre of doping allegations looming over Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner might throw the tennis world in a state of limbo, depriving the sport of its most hyped and potentially era-defining rivalry of recent times, between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz. 

Strangely, there was not enough to dissect about the Australian Open final, played between world number one and two, Jannik Sinner and Alexander Zverev, last month at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. Sinner bulldozed the entire idea of Zverev—that is the most profound analysis I could come up with after rewatching the entire final. The balance of power never deserted Sinner's court, as he continued to assert his dominance, one shot at a time. It took Sinner two hours and twenty-seven minutes to defend his maiden Australian Open title, but only half an hour of play to kill the anticipation and destroy any semblance of a contest courtesy his impeccable ball striking from baseline. Perhaps the only solace Zverev could take after a defeat of such epic proportions is that he is not alone in facing the wrath of Sinner. In the past year or so, two other men, Daniil Medvedev and Taylor Fritz, have tried to thwart the Italian juggernaut in major finals, and both of them have suffered the same fate as Zverev. 

Sinner is now 3-0 in major finals, and the first player since Rafael Nadal to defend his maiden grand slam title in 2006. And if the outcomes of grand slams are reflections of where tennis is heading, it wouldn't be premature to say, especially after Sinner clinched back-to-back hard-court slams, that the genesis of a new duopoly is already laid. After a period of prolonged stasis where tennis struggled to stare beyond the Big Three, the sport, that thrives on personal dominance, has Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, two stars that don't flinch under pressure, unlike the lost generation that preceded them. Sinner and Alcaraz have swept the last five grand slams, slowly forging a duopoly akin to Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal of the mid-noughties. 

The similarity with 'Fedal' doesn't merely end at the mutual dominance of Alcaraz and Sinner; it also extends to their contrasting style. While Sinner has emerged into force majeure at hard courts, Alcaraz trumps on the grass and clay, two surfaces that favour his inventive, improvisational game. Alcaraz is more expressive on the court, wearing his emotions on the sleeves, just like his compatriot Nadal. Sinner, meanwhile, cuts across as an opaque figure, almost robotic, with his facial expression and body language giving away nothing. 

Off-court, they have become cultural forces in their own right. Sinner broke the hallowed tradition of Wimbledon's all-white policy when he came out to the centre court with a Gucci Duffel Bag. After winning the Australian Open 2025, Sinner turned heads by pairing a classic polo monogrammed with Gucci’s logo with an off-white trouser. He attends Milan Fashion Week and poses with fashion royalty like Anna Wintour and the American actress Kirsten Dunst. Similarly, Alcaraz raised the temperature by stripping down for Calvin Klein's campaign last year. In 2023, he was roped in by Louis Vuitton as their house ambassador. He also posed for the spring/summer collection of the iconic French fashion house. He has a multi-million deal with the Swiss watchmaker Rolex, a brand that was once synonymous with Federer. 

Excellence, as they say, is contagious, and the game of tennis is only richer to have stars who don't seem to flash, flicker, and fade, but stay in the hunt for greatness. However, there’s already a big question mark looming over what is growing into tennis' most bankable clickbait, Alcaraz vs Sinner. There is a slim chance that the sport might not be able to hype its events around these two names for some time. Sinner's glorious era has run into a high-profile doping controversy that might become a stumbling block for his future, and consequentially, the future of tennis. 

During the Indian Wells tournament last year, Sinner tested positive for clostebol—a steroid that also enhances muscle mass. While he never disputed the trace of the banned substance in his body, he denied any wrongdoings on his part. The 23-year-old said the contamination happened via his physiotherapist, who massaged him without cleaning his hands. His reasonings were accepted by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA). However, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed for a ban of a minimum of one to two years. Just days before the first grand slam of the season kicked off in Melbourne, Sinner learned that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has slated his hearing for April 16 and 17. A month later, the much-anticipated French Open will begin, which Sinner might have to miss if proven guilty. In that case, he is likely to miss Wimbledon as well. 

While the potential setback to Sinner's personal ambitions is undoubtedly significant, the implications of the hearing extend to the broader tennis landscape too. The storyline for the Tennis summer has already been set—Sinner, a dominating force on hard courts, now faces the pivotal question of whether he can excel on clay and grass. Can he outmanoeuvre Carlos Alcaraz in those arenas? In case of a suspension, the season's biggest storyline will just disappear, leaving the court open to Alcaraz and the ailing Djokovic. The disruption of the duopoly between Alcaraz and Sinner will again bring tennis into a state of limbo, with no outright challengers vying for supremacy. 

Tennis has always been defined through the prism of rivalries, from the day of John McEnroe versus Born Bjorg, Andre Agassi versus Pete Sampras, or Novak Djokovic versus Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. And perhaps the only thing worse than the lack of an era-defining rivalry is the complete dominance of one player. To see Alcaraz cruising over a coterie of supremely skilled but unfulfilled talents won't be fun for a long time. Barring Djokovic, none of the top players like Daniil Medvedev or Alexander Zverev have managed to test the Spaniard. 

The consequences of the hearing will reach far beyond the court. Will Gucci continue to associate himself with the man who is accused of gaining an unlawful edge? Few things tarnish the legacy of a player as much as a doping allegation. Even if Sinner is absolved by CAS, the incident will continue to hang over his career, also impacting his off-court adventures. All of these just pave the road wide open for Alcaraz to assert his superiority, extend his major lead against Sinner, and also become the most popular man in the sport. After all, memories in sports are fickle. If the suspension keeps Sinner on the sideline for months, people will quickly move on. 

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