Emma Raducanu snubs fan, Jannik Sinner caught in drugs controversy, Chris Evert under fire for Naomi Osaka comments: 5 top stories leading up to US Open 2024
With the US Open on the horizon, the tennis world has been filled with interesting stories in the past week. Many top tennis stars like Jannik Sinner and Emma Raducanu have made headlines for off-court incidents while Carlos Alcaraz has been under scrutiny for his on-court behavior.
The lead-up to the US Open 2024 has been surrounded by news and controversies involving top tennis stars. Even the great Chris Evert could not escape criticism from fans after a few controversial statements.
Here is a list of the top five stories leading in to the US Open.
#1. Jannik Sinner's doping controversy
Jannik Sinner's Cincinnati Masters win was overshadowed by his doping scandal. The Italian announced on social media that he has been cleared of any doping allegations by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) after he twice tested positive for the use of a banned substance.
Sinner twice tested positive for Clostebol in March 2024. However, the Italian was able to avoid a ban after he won his appeal by proving the violation was due to a contaminated product. The ITIA accepted that Sinner's fitness trainer had purchased the product containing Clostebol to cure a cut on his finger and unknowingly transferred it to the Italian while massaging him without gloves.
Sinner was eventually found not guilty of any wrongdoing and was declared innocent. However, tennis stars like Nick Kyrgios and Denis Shapovalov took a stand against the decision and called out the ITIA for their mismanagement of the issue.
#2. Elena Rybakina parts ways with her long-term coach
Elena Rybakina announced that she has parted ways with her coach Stefano Vukov. The Kazakh star had been working with her coach for over five years but announced their separation on the eve of the US Open draw.
Rybakina took to Instagram to announce that she is no longer working with Vukoc, who has been with her since 2019. The duo had a successful partnership, winning the Wimbledon title in 2022.
#3. Chris Evert receives backlash for her comments on Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka returned to professional tennis in 2024 after a break in the previous year due to pregnancy. The Japanese star announced her return to tennis in January 2024 by participating at the Brisbane International. However, the two-time US Open winner has struggled to make an impact this season and is still without a trophy.
While talking about Osaka, Christ Evert said that the Japanese star was possibly "too happy" with her life and needed to "focus" to win matches. The former American star added that being "too happy" may hold players back from the "intense and fierce" levels needed to compete at the top level.
"I know she has the game, but it takes more than the game. It takes a lot of confidence and a lot of focus. She has a child, which she is madly in love with. Sometimes when you are too happy, that can’t always be good either, I don’t know, for us to be intense and fierce," Evert said.
Evert's comment received backlash from the fans who felt that Osaka should be left alone, the Japanese star having recently returned to professional tennis.
#4. Carlos Alcaraz makes headlines for breaking his racket for the first time
Carlos Alcaraz cut a frustrated figure during his Cincinnati Masters exit against Gael Monfils. The Spaniard lost the match 6-4, 6-7,4-6 to be knocked out in the second round at Cincinnati.
Alcaraz looked frustrated throughout the second set but his anger boiled over after Monfils broke his serve in the third set. The Spaniard let out his frustration by smashing his racket on the ground. Alcaraz later apologized for his on-court behavior during a post-match press conference.
#5. Emma Raducanu snubs a young fan during the US Open practice session
Emma Raducanu was in the spotlight after reports said she snubbed a young fan after her US Open practice session. The Brit star is currently preparing for the last Grand Slam of the year by training at the Flushing Meadows.
On August 22 Raducanu was practicing in front of fans at Flushing Meadows. According to reports, during this practice session a young girl said she was a fan of the Brit star during a TV interview, and though the interviewer tried to set up a picture between the fan and Raducanu, the former US Open champion refused. Raducanu soon posted an apology on Twitter and hoped that she could meet the fan soon.