Jannik Sinner will bid to be the master of his “safe place” again as he chases a second consecutive Australian Open title. The world number one has dropped only two sets on his way to the final at Melbourne Park, where he will take on Alexander Zverev.
But there have been signs of the tension and pressure that Sinner is feeling, with the Italian battling illness in a gruelling fourth-round win over Holger Rune and then cramping in the semi-finals against Ben Shelton on Friday despite winning in straight sets.
Sinner faces a hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in April after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed against the decision not to ban him following two failed doping tests last March. The 23-year-old admitted he was a little apprehensive about his reception in Australia following persistent online criticism led by Nick Kyrgios, although he has received strong crowd support.
Coach Darren Cahill praised Sinner’s handling of the situation but admitted it has been tough, saying: “Nobody’s bulletproof. I think we all have moments when it gets to you a little bit, as well. “I think, to a large extent, he finds playing tennis matches to be his safe place. That’s where he can go and do his thing and feel like this is what he knows, this is what he understands, what he’s good at. It’s become a home for him to step on to the court and play tennis.
