“Sad day for tennis. Fairness in tennis does not exist,” Nick Kyrgios had boldly stated on February 15, when Jannik Sinner was handed a 3-month ban, words that still echo in tennis circles. The Aussie has remained an outspoken critic of the entire saga, frequently calling out what he views as preferential treatment toward the Italian in a doping-related case. Even months ago, after the top seed launched his YouTube channel following his AO triumph, Kyrgios couldn’t resist a dig, writing, “Can he give us a behind the scenes of what happened a year ago? asking for a friend.” Now, as Sinner prepares for a thunderous homecoming in Rome, hailed as a title favorite, the Aussie strikes again with another cryptic jab. Curious to know what he said this time?
The conclave to elect a new pope isn’t the only event drawing global eyes to Italy’s capital this week. Just a short distance from the Vatican, another headline-making moment is unfolding: the highly anticipated return of ATP top seed Jannik Sinner at the Italian Open, following a 3-month doping ban. In a humorous nod to the papal tradition, local headlines have declared “Habemus Sinner,” a playful twist on the famous “Habemus Papam!” proclamation from St. Peter’s Basilica.
Sinner’s ban, resolved through a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency, officially ended on Monday. To mark his return, the 3-time GS winner has also hosted an open practice on Campo Centrale, drawing a sold-out crowd of 10,500 fans. And as the Italian prepares to step back onto the court for the first time since the AO, the buzz around his comeback continues. Meanwhile, Aussie star Nick Kyrgios, still vocal about the controversy, has once again shared his frustrations over the saga.
Jannik Sinner is going to win Rome and the ATP Tour is going to need to take a long hard look at itself.
— Scott Barclay (@BarclayCard18) May 6, 2025
Recently, a fan took to X to declare his prediction ahead of the Italian Open: “Jannik Sinner is going to win Rome and the ATP Tour is going to need to take a long hard look at itself.” And as the post went viral, Nick Kyrgios chimed in with a response dripping in sarcasm and frustration: “Why? He is a generational talent? I wouldn’t be surprised at all .” The former 13th seed’s reply once again reflected his lingering resentment surrounding the doping controversy that has followed Sinner over the past year.
Time and again, the Aussie has not shied away from voicing his criticism of the Italian star. He’s been one of the most outspoken figures since the initial fallout of Sinner’s doping case. On “Nothing Major Podcast” back in December, hosted by retired American tennis pros, Kyrgios openly admitted there’s no love lost between the two. “We don’t like each other,” he confessed, teasing the potential of a tense showdown if they were to meet in the AO draw.
“Let’s be honest, I just want to go out there and I really want to play Sinner,” Nick said. “I’ve thought about this — if I played him in the Australian Open — I would just get every single person in the crowd to get on him. I would just turn it into an absolute riot. All respect would go out the window and I would just do anything to win,”
His discontent didn’t stop there. Following his return to the tour at the Brisbane International after an 18-month injury break, the Aussie slammed the state of the sport, saying, “Tennis integrity right now, and everyone knows it, but no one wants to speak about it — it’s awful.” These remarks echoed his continued concerns over fairness in professional tennis.
And now, as the Italian prepares to take center stage again, he has also shared his side of the story, reflecting on the challenges and emotions tied to his comeback.
Jannik Sinner opens up about the good news, as his ban does not include any Grand Slam
The top seed, Jannik Sinner, is officially back on the court this week at the Italian Open in Rome, following the end of a 3-month doping ban. The ban, which was agreed upon through a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), expired at midnight on Sunday, clearing the way for Sinner to compete at his home tournament. The controversy stemmed from 2 positive tests last year for the banned substance clostebol. While an independent panel initially cleared Sinner of any wrongdoing, WADA appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a suspension of up to 2 years.
Eventually, both sides reached a compromise after WADA determined such a lengthy ban would be an “unduly harsh sanction.” And now, speaking at his pre-tournament press conference, the Italian acknowledged how difficult the process had been, noting how reluctant he was to settle at first.
“Of course when you go to court it can go both ways — nothing or a lot. I didn’t want to do it [agree a settlement] in the beginning, so it was not easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened. But sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment, and that’s what we did,” Sinner said. “For me personally it’s good news that there are not the Grand Slams included.”
The 23-year-old top seed has received a first-round bye and will begin his campaign on Saturday against either 99th seed Mariano Navone of Argentina or 18-year-old Italian wildcard Federico Cina. The pressure is immense, as the last Italian man to win the title in Rome was Adriano Panatta in 1976.
Can the returnee break that long-standing drought and mark his return with a statement win on home soil? What do you think?
The post “Generational Talent?”- Nick Kyrgios Stirs the Pot Again as Jannik Sinner Eyes Rome Glory appeared first on EssentiallySports.