Nick Kyrgios reacts with harsh 3-word message on Jannik Sinner as Italian, amid doping row, beats Novak Djokovic to win Shanghai Masters
Following Jannik Sinner's 2024 Shanghai Masters triumph, Nick Kyrgios stated that it is 'ridiculous' that the Italian is allowed to be on the court following the latter's doping test. Sinner defeated Novak Djokovic in the final to win his seventh tour title of the season.
Kyrgios has repeatedly made scathing remarks about Sinner since the latter was cleared of doping accusations in August. The 23-year-old had tested positive for clostebol during his Indian Wells campaign in March, leading to a provisional suspension. The authorities later overturned the verdict, accepting his explanation that the substance entered his system during treatment by his physiotherapist.
Additionally, the authorities determined that the substance in Sinner's system was not performance-enhancing, clearing the Italian of any wrongdoing and allowing him to resume competing.
Kyrgios, however, has since opposed the International Tennis Integrity Agency's decision, calling for the suspension of the World No. 1. Moreover, during a recent Instagram Q&A session, a fan asked the 29-year-old to play doubles with Sinner, to which he replied that he only plays with "clean" players.
After Jannik Sinner's victory at the Shanghai Masters, a fan on X (formerly Twitter) criticized the Italian, suggesting that he shouldn't have been competing on the court. The fan wrote:
"Every player beaten by Jannik Sinner must be thinking by the same thing. This f****r shouldn’t even be on the court right now."
Kyrgios, replying to the fan's tweet, wrote,
"Yep. Ridiculous lol"
Kyrgios has participated in just one singles match over the past two years, primarily due to knee and wrist injuries that required surgery. Nevertheless, he has remained actively involved in sports as a commentator.
"If you expect us to be silent...... we won't" - Nick Kyrgios on Jannik Sinner's doping controversy
During his US Open campaign, Jannik Sinner was asked how he would respond if interviewed by Nick Kyrgios in the future. The 23-year-old expressed that he prefers not to comment on what he said but noted that an interview with the Aussie would be different.
"I don’t know,I don’t want to respond on what he said. Everyone is free to say everything. It’s ok. If that is the case, let’s see. It’s gonna be different for sure," he said.
Kyrgios replied in the comments that athletes use their platforms to ensure things are fair, even if some players get angry with that. He wrote:
“As athletes we use our platforms to make sure things are fair and even. That's all I did. Some players are angry. We know Sinner is amazing, great tennis player and one of the main faces of the sport. But if you expect us to be silent...... we won't.”
Nonetheless, Jannik Sinner has seemingly moved on from the doping row, as he excelled during the North American hardcourt swing, winning both the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.
Before his win at the Shanghai Masters, Sinner reached the finals of the China Open, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz.