World number one Jannik Sinner will face a hearing in April to determine whether he faces a ban as a result of two positive doping tests he submitted last year.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport has announced it will hear an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the decision not to ban Sinner on April 16 and 17.
Sinner, who is in Melbourne preparing to defend his Australian Open title, tested positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March, but the International Tennis Integrity Agency accepted that it was down to accidental contamination.
However, WADA has challenged the verdict and has asked for the Italian – who won last year’s US Open title shortly after the test was made public – to be banned from the sport for between one and two years.
The CAS is likely to take some time considering the verdict following the hearing, with no date confirmed for when a decision will be announced.
Some players, notably former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios, who called the saga “disgusting”, are understood to be uneasy about the initial ruling, but Sinner says he will try to remain unaffected by the situation.
Preparing for his first-round match against Chile’s Nicolas Jarry, Sinner told media in Melbourne: “I know exactly as much as you guys know.
“It’s something I have with me already for quite a long time. But it is what it is. I’m here trying to prepare for the grand slam. Let’s see how it goes.”
