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Nick Kyrgios reaffirmed his criticism of Jannik Sinner as WADA pushed for a two-year ban on the Italian in a doping scandal. In other news, Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan Broomfield opened up about her health struggles after traveling to Tokyo to support her boyfriend at the Japan Open.
Meanwhile, Kim Clijsters weighed in on the controversial ball kids debate after Carlos Alcaraz's heated dispute with the chair umpire at the China Open. Coco Gauff's ex-coach Brad Gilbert lashed out at WADA for appealing Sinner’s doping case.
On that note, here's a recap of today's top tennis news:
Nick Kyrgios takes on Jannik Sinner again as WADA calls for 2-year doping suspension
Nick Kyrgios has once again stepped into the debate surrounding Jannik Sinner after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) called for a two-year suspension for the Italian in light of his doping case.
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Kyrgios has been vocal about Sinner’s situation, even advocating for a two-year ban, after the Italian tested positive twice earlier this year for the banned steroid Clostebol. Initially being provisionally suspended, the World No. 1successfully appealed both cases, which allowed him to continue competing while the matter was reviewed.
The ITIA accepted Sinner’s defense, which claimed the steroid was introduced unintentionally via a spray used by his then-physiotherapist to treat an injury. As a result, Sinner just lost his prize money and ranking points from the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells.
However, on September 26, WADA appealed the ITIA’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, seeking a suspension of one to two years for Sinner.
In response to the organization's appeal, Kyrgios used his Instagram story to reaffirm his position, stating:
"Hahahaha maybe not so innocent after all eh?"
In light of the appeal, Jannik Sinner stated that he was exonerated after a lengthy process involving three judges, along with thorough interviews and investigations.
"I am disappointed to hear that WADA have chosen to appeal the result of my ITIA hearing after the independent judges had exonerated me and deemed me to be innocent. Over the past few months and throughout this process there have been three separate hearings in each case confirming my innocence," Jannik Sinner said.
"Several months of interviews and investigations culminated in three senior judges scrutinizing every detail through a formal hearing. They issued an in-depth judgement explaining why they determined me not at fault, with clear evidence provided and my cooperation throughout," he added.
Jannik Sinner is currently defending his title at the China Open in Beijing. The top-seeded Italian reached the quarterfinals, where he will take on Jiri Lehecka on September 30.
Read More: Jannik Sinner calls out WADA after anti-doping agency moves to have him banned for 2 years
Coco Gauff’s ex-coach Brad Gilbert outraged over WADA’s appeal of Jannik Sinner’s doping verdict
Coco Gauff's former coach, Brad Gilbert, criticized WADA's appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) as they challenged the 'no fault or negligence' ruling in Jannik Sinner's doping case.
Gilbert expressed frustration with WADA's decision, pointing out that the amount of the substance in question was less than a gram of salt. The American also noted that Sinner would be responsible for covering his legal fees, emphasizing that the case could drag on for an extended period.
"I am completely disheveled by this Wada decision, was 8000 times smaller then a gram of salt this now will unfortunately take months to figure out, where is the players representation on this, other then Sin City paying for his own lawyers," Gilbert wrote on X.
Frances Tiafoe's girlfriend Ayan Broomfield reveals health issues amid boyfriend's Japan Open campaign in Tokyo
Frances Tiafoe’s girlfriend, Ayan Broomfield, revealed she fell ill while visiting Tokyo for the former's Japan Open campaign.
In an Instagram story update, the Canadian mentioned she had been bedridden for 48 hours due to her illness.
"Put a finger down if you travel to your favorite city and hours into the trip you get sick and can barely get out of bed for 48 hours," Broomfield wrote.
Seventh seed Frances Tiafoe's campaign in Tokyo ended in disappointment as the American was eliminated in the first round by compatriot Brandon Nakashima. This marked the 26-year-old's second successive opening-round exit at the ATP 500 event, where he reached the final in 2022.
Kim Clijsters calls for change in ball kid rules after Carlos Alcaraz's confrontation with chair umpire at China Open
Four-time Grand Slam champion Kim Clijsters made a controversial suggestion regarding ball kids following Carlos Alcaraz's tense exchange with the chair umpire during the Spaniard's 6-4, 6-4 win over Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard in the first round of the 2024 China Open.
The ATP 500 hard court event introduced an automatic shot clock this year, giving players 25 seconds to serve, with penalties imposed for exceeding the time limit. Alcaraz was hit with two time violations while serving out the first set, leading to losing his first serve on an advantage point.
This triggered a tense argument with the chair umpire. In the post-match press conference, Alcaraz explained his frustration, stating that the new time rules left him no opportunity to catch his breath or retrieve a towel between points.
"Obviously, I was little bit mad about the time rule because I feel like I have no time. I have to run between points. I have no time to have a break, to rest or to breathe. I mean, if I finish the point at the net, which was the case, I have no time to go to the towel and do my routine. I was a little bit mad about it," Alcaraz said .
In response, Clijsters proposed reinstating the rule where ball kids would bring towels to the players to reduce the time needed to retrieve them.
"Bring back the rule where the ball boy/girl can bring the towel to the player," Clijsters commented.
The rule preventing ball kids from handling players' towels was implemented following the COVID-19 pandemic. The topic has sparked debate, as some fans feel it's inappropriate for children to hand towels to players.
Second seed Carlos Alcaraz advanced to the second round, where he will take on Tallon Griekspoor on September 29. The winner of this match will face either seventh seed Karen Khachanov or Francisco Cerundolo in the quarterfinals.
