"Baseless claims";"This is only shabby clickbaiting" - Fans disagree with jounalist's take on Jannik Sinner's US Open SF run post-doping controversy

Jannik Sinner defeated fifth seed Daniil Medvedev to reach his first-ever US Open semifinal. His triumph comes following a controversy regarding his failed drug tests. Tennis journalist Ben Rothenberg believes Sinner's impressive run would have been more 'fun' if not for the controversy and fans disagreed with his comments.

Sinner's failed drug tests were made public before he began his US Open campaign. Although he was cleared by the ITIA and an independent tribunal, Rothenberg took to X to opine that the 'anti-doping' row involving the Italian has left a 'bad taste' on his US Open run.

"Hard not to think about how much more fun this Jannik Sinner run would have felt if we were still in the dark about his whole anti-doping saga this year... The timing of that, and the way it showed a lack of transparency at the top of tennis for months, just leaves a bad taste," Rothenberg wrote on X.

Many fans disagreed with his comments. They highlighted that documents regarding the tests were released to the public, therefore, there was no 'lack of transparency'.

"All the results of the investigation are available to the public. How can you say that there is a lack of transparency?" one fan asked.

"Please avoid comments like this to maintain your journalistic integrity. Jannik has played incredibly well this week and attempting to discredit that with baseless claims like this only hurts your reputation," another fan wrote.

"Stop insinuating doubts built on your prejudices. Everything is transparent and documented. Study the documents and avoid a new defamation lawsuit," a third fan wrote.

Here are some more fans criticizing Rothenberg's opinion surrounding Jannik Sinner's doping controversy ahead of his US Open semifinal.

"The “lack of transparency” you reference is simply letting courts and appeals play out they way they always should: outside of the media shitshow and court of public opinion. On the flip side, the resolution of the doping saga was definitive, well-reasoned, public, transparent," one fan wrote.

"Hard not to think that this tweet is only shabby clickbaiting," a fan claimed.

"It does not. If you Read the f**king papers. It was all clear and perfectly handled," another fan wrote.

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Jannik Sinner faces Jack Draper in the US Open 2024 SF

Jannik Sinner at the 2024 US Open. (Image: Getty)

Jannik Sinner is currently on a ten-match win streak, including his Cincinnati Open title and US Open run to the semifinals. In Cincinnati, he defeated the likes of sixth seed Andrey Rublev, third seed Alexander Zverev, and Frances Tiafoe.

Continuing his impressive form in New York, the World No. 1 defeated Mackenzie McDonald, Alex Michelsen, and Christopher O'Connell in the first three rounds, respectively. He got the better of 14th seed Tommy Paul 7-6(3), 7-6(5), 6-1 before defeating Daniil Medvedev in the quarterfinal 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 to set up a semifinal clash against 25th seed Jack Draper on 7th September.

The Brit's US Open run has been extraordinary as he has not lost a set on his way to the semifinal. This will be the second encounter between Draper and Sinner with the Brit leading the head-to-head 1-0. In the other semifinal, 20th seed Frances Tiafoe faces 12th seed Taylor Fritz in an all-American clash.