Jannik Sinner targets his first grand slam on clay or grass while navigating a doping appeal.
Jannik Sinner, fresh off defending his Australian Open title, now sets his sights on conquering clay and grass courts, though his journey is complicated by an ongoing doping appeal. The world number one clinched his third consecutive Grand Slam title in Melbourne, securing a straight-sets win over Alexander Zverev.
With an impeccable four-month unbeaten streak and minimal setbacks at Melbourne Park, the 23-year-old has proven his dominance on hard courts. His only significant challenge came in the fourth round, where he battled illness and struggled in the heat against Holger Rune. Yet, with the Australian Open behind him, Sinner’s focus shifts toward the future, which includes navigating a Court of Arbitration for Sport hearing in April over two positive doping tests from March 2024.
Although initially cleared of wrongdoing, the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the decision, and Sinner now faces the possibility of a ban. If cleared to compete, Sinner’s primary goal for the upcoming summer season will be to claim his first Grand Slam on clay or grass. His best performances so far at the French Open and Wimbledon have been semi-final appearances, but the Italian is determined to push further.
“Of course, on hard court I feel more comfortable,” Sinner admitted. “But I take it as positive because on the other surfaces, I still have to improve. I’m going to put a lot of energy into that, trying to find the right ways.” Despite his inexperience on grass, having never played the juniors, Sinner is eager to adapt. “It’s exactly what I like—the difficulties of trying to understand where I can improve.”
Sinner acknowledges that becoming a truly complete player, capable of winning on all surfaces, remains key. Last year, while he showed promise on both clay and grass, there’s still room to grow. “It’s a bit different game style, especially on grass, because it’s a bit different, the movement,” he explained. His team’s commitment to pushing him forward remains unwavering.
Sinner’s 2025 season already mirrors the success of rival Carlos Alcaraz, with both players winning their first three Grand Slam finals. However, Sinner still trails behind Novak Djokovic’s 24 major titles. His coach, Simone Vagnozzi, believes Sinner could one day rival the likes of Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Rafael Nadal.
“He’s still young,” Vagnozzi said. “He is the guy that tries to improve every day, going on court, in practice, and trying to put new things in his game.” With a strong desire for improvement, Sinner is poised to take on the sport’s giants, though the road ahead remains long.
The victory in Melbourne was particularly meaningful as it may mark the last Australian Open for Darren Cahill, one of Sinner’s key coaches, who plans to retire later in 2025. Sinner reflected, “I got very lucky to find Darren, to find Simone and all the rest of the team. We try to keep working, keep believing, and that’s it.
