Serbian Novak Djokovic has been one of the most vocal critics of how Jannik Sinner's doping case has been handled.
Partly because the Italian was last year first acquitted by the tennis anti-doping organization and partly because Sinner this year reached an agreement with the international anti-doping organization Wada on a three-month short suspension.
"Influence the outcome"
It seems like you can almost influence the outcome (of a doping case) if you are a top player, if you have access to top lawyers, said the former world number one Djokovic in February.
The suspension was squeezed in between the season's first two Grand Slam tournaments. Sinner took his second consecutive victory in the Australian Open in January – now the world number one can take his fourth Grand Slam title in his career after also winning the US Open last year.
For the 38-year-old world number six Novak Djokovic – on the hunt for his 25th Grand Slam title – he could not resist the 23-year-old Sinner in the semifinals of the French Championships.
Sinner won the first set 6–4 after breaking the Serb's serve at 2–2.
In the second set, it seemed like Djokovic found energy on the Roland Garros clay.
He managed to break Sinner's serve up to 5–5, but Sinner broke back immediately and could then take home the second set 7–5.
After that set, Djokovic was forced to take a medical timeout for treatment of his left thigh. Despite a battered body, the Serb showed brilliant play at times in the third set to the great delight of the Paris audience. The veteran earned set balls, but Sinner saved all three.
First final in Paris
Everything had to be decided in a tiebreak and Sinner took it home. Via 6–4, 7–5, 7–6 (7–3), the Italian is clear for his first final in the French Championships.
There, the reigning champion and world number two Carlos Alcaraz, Spain, is waiting. The Italian world number seven Lorenzo Musetti broke the semifinal at a deficit of 1–2 in sets and 0–2 in the fourth set.
It's never fun to win like this, said Alcaraz, who led 4–6, 7–6 (7–3), 6–0, 2–0 when the Italian gave up.
Tennis star Jannik Sinner left two positive doping tests in March last year.
He was first completely acquitted by the International Tennis Federation after it was shown that he had unintentionally ingested the banned anabolic steroid clostebol.
This was said to have happened through a massage by his physiotherapist, who had injured his finger and therefore used a salve for the injury.
The International Anti-Doping Organization Wada appealed the decision and wanted to see Sinner suspended for two years. An agreement was reached and in February, the Italian was suspended for three months.
Wada admits that Sinner did not intend to cheat and that the contamination was not performance-enhancing. He is also not considered responsible for having ingested clostebol.
The doping suspension expired in early May.
