Jannik Sinner plays Jack Draper in the US Open semifinals weeks after a doping exoneration

NEW YORK (AP) — Six months after Jannik Sinner failed two drug tests, and 2 1/2 weeks after he was exonerated because he said trace amounts of an anabolic steroid entered his system unintentionally via a massage, the No. 1-ranked man in tennis will play in the U.S. Open semifinals.

His doping case, which raised questions from some players about whether Sinner was treated differently than others on account of his standing in the sport, has loomed over his run to the final four at Flushing Meadows, where the 23-year-old Italian will face No. 25 Jack Draper of Britain on Friday. No. 12 Taylor Fritz plays No. 20 Frances Tiafoe in the other men’s semifinal, the first in New York between two Americans in 19 years.

Asked how he’s been able to stay focused on court with everything going on off it, Sinner said: “Obviously in the beginning ... (it) was a tough situation. But day by day, it went better. So I’m happy about that. Let’s see now, in the semis, what I can do.”

Sinner’s doping exoneration

The International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Aug. 20 that it determined — and an independent tribunal agreed — that Sinner should not be suspended because he was not at fault for testing positive twice, eight days apart, in March for Clostebol. Sinner’s defense? His fitness trainer, Umberto Ferrara, purchased an over-the-counter spray in Italy that contained that drug and gave it to Sinner’s physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, to treat a cut on Naldi’s finger. Naldi then gave Sinner a massage while not wearing gloves.

Sinner said on the eve of the U.S. Open that he had fired Ferrara and Naldi.

“Because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them,” Sinner said. “The only thing I just need right now (is) just some clean air. I was struggling a lot in the last months.”

The whole episode has been a big topic of conversation in tennis, naturally. Novak Djokovic said he gets other players’ concerns about a possible “lack of consistency” in the process. Rafael Nadal said he doesn’t believe Sinner meant to dope. Roger Federer, like Djokovic, said he understands why there were questions about a double-standard, and, like Nadal, said he doesn’t think Sinner was trying to break the rules.

Is Sinner favored to win the title?

When Djokovic and Alcaraz lost in Week 1, Sinner became the favorite for the title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. After defeating 2021 U.S. Open champion Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinals Wednesday night, Sinner is the only man left in the field who has won a Grand Slam title, having triumphed at the Australian Open in January.

“He’s a tough player to play against,” said Medvedev, who lost the final at Melbourne Park in five sets after taking the first two. “He feels the game well. He chooses the right shot at the right moment many times.”

Draper, 22, and Fritz, 26, are participating in the semifinals at a major for the first time. Tiafoe, 26, made it to the semis at Flushing Meadows two years ago before losing to eventual champion Alcaraz.

Sinner has been to the semifinals at each of the four Slams once and is particularly strong on hard courts, where he is 33-2 with four titles in 2024.

Sinner’s advantage as a Grand Slam champion

He is the only man left in the field who has won a Grand Slam trophy, although Sinner isn’t so sure that relative edge in experience matters at this stage.

“Whoever is in quarters or semis or round of 16 deserves to be there,” he said. “No win is granted. You always have to find a solution against each opponent.”

Draper, never before past the fourth round at a major, is a big-hitting left-hander who has won all 15 sets he’s played at this U.S. Open.

He and Sinner are pals and played doubles together at Montreal last month.

“We’ve always kept in touch since I’ve been on tour the last couple of years. Jannik is a good friend, someone I’m definitely close to. We send each other messages in good moments, bad moments,” said Draper, the first British man to get to the semifinals in New York since the recently retired Andy Murray won the title in 2012. “It’s a tough sport to play when you’re a young guy. You’re on the road, you’re playing such a relentlessly intense sport, both physically, emotionally, and it’s difficult. We haven’t got many friends. So to sort of have the support of someone who’s going through it themselves is really big.”

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Howard Fendrich has been the AP’s tennis writer since 2002. Find his stories here: https://apnews.com/author/howard-fendrich

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AP tennis: https://apnews.com/hub/tennis