In an interview with Corriere Della Sera, Sinner was asked if he wished to address his critics. “I’ve never responded, and I don’t even want to respond,” he replied.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency found “no fault or negligence” on Sinner’s behalf after testing positive for clostebol in March 2024. The tribunal’s decision was shared last August, but an appeal from the World Anti-Doping Agency saw Sinner given a three-month ban in February of this year.
Upon his return to action in May, Sinner announced he was no longer in a relationship with fellow tennis star Anna Kalinskaya.
However, in a fresh update, Sinner seemed to confirm that he is in a relationship, though he refused to go into details. Asked by the same publication if he was in love, Sinner said: “Yes, but we don’t talk about our private life.”
Sinner previously dated Italian model Maria Braccini between 2020 and 2024. He was later in a relationship with Kalinskaya but confirmed they had split up in May this year as he sought to set the record straight about his personal life, which had come under the spotlight during his suspension. Sinner has also been linked with Laila Hasanovic, a model who previously dated Michael Schumacher’s son, Mick.
“I saw there is also a lot of attention off the court. I was also very surprised to see some pictures,” he said ahead of the Italian Open. “Nothing serious! I am not in a relationship, whoever says things. So all good!”
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Despite the off-court challenges that Sinner has faced, the four-time major winner has remained world No.1 since last June. Sinner demonstrated his resilience by winning Wimbledon after his French Open heartbreak and explained how he built his strong mentality.
“It’s nothing natural, there’s a lot of work behind it, but first you have to accept your flaws, and I struggled at first because I thought I was strong, but I wasn’t,” Sinner admitted. “And we’ve worked hard on it, with [doctor] Riccardo Ceccarelli; we’ve been working together for years now, and it helps me. Obviously, the athlete has to make the difference, but there’s a lot of work behind it.”
Moreover, Sinner insists that he does not view himself as the world’s best tennis player, even after topping the ATP rankings for more than a year. “No, because I think I’ve always been a humble person and I don’t like to say ‘I’m number one in the world,’” he added.
“I can say I’m a strong player, but I think you become number one not only on the tennis court but also by how you handle things off the court, how you behave.”
Sinner begins his US Open title defence against Czechia’s Vit Kopriva on Tuesday. He is expected to be in better condition than his last outing after retiring from the Cincinnati Open final against Alcaraz due to illness earlier this month.