Why Jannik Sinner was left out of ATP award nominations
In a shocking move, the Association of Professional Tennis (ATP) has omitted Jannik Sinner, the incumbent world number one, from the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award nominations for the 2024 edition. This comes amid a doping controversy surrounding the Italian. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) seeking a one to two-year ban for Sinner over an alleged Clostebol doping issue.
Sinner's exclusion from ATP Awards raises questions
Sinner's exclusion from the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award, a prestigious recognition in tennis, has raised eyebrows. The nominees for this year's award include star players Carlos Alcaraz, Grigor Dimitrov, Casper Ruud, and Dominic Thiem. Sinner was also not nominated for the Most Improved Player of the Year category, which features young rising stars such as Jack Draper and Tomas Machac among others.
Sinner's coaches also overlooked for ATP recognition
In another shocking move, the ATP also left out Sinner's coaches, Simone Vagnozzi and Darren Cahill, from the Coach of the Year Award nominations. This has only fueled the intrigue behind Sinner's omission from the ATP Awards. This year's Comeback Player of the Year nominees include Matteo Berrettini, Marin Cilic, and Kei Nishikori.
Sinner's impressive performance in 2024 season
Despite the controversy, Sinner has had an incredible 2024 season. He clinched eight titles including the Australian Open, US Open and ATP Finals, and led Italy to a Davis Cup victory. This was also his debut as the world number one in ATP rankings. He ended the year with an incredible record of 73 wins and just six losses, three of which came against Alcaraz.
Sinner's doping controversy
The 23-year-old Italian star has been under intense scrutiny after WADA announced its intention to seek a two-year ban following his positive tests for the steroid clostebol in March. Notably, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) had earlier accepted Sinner's explanation that Sinner unintentionally consumed the banned substance after his physiotherapist used a spray containing it to treat a cut. However, despite this clearance, WADA appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, sparking another controversy.
