Jannik Sinner will go into his Australian Open title defence knowing a court hearing in Switzerland in April could condemn him to a potential two-year ban from the sport for doping.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), sport's highest tribunal, announced on Friday it had set a date for a behind-closed-doors hearing on April 16-17 at its headquarters in Lausanne over the world No.1's two positive doping tests from last year.
CAS will hear an appeal by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) against the sport's decision not to ban Sinner, despite the Italian testing positive twice for the anabolic steroid clostebol in March.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) ruled it was down to accidental contamination, but WADA is challenging the verdict, asking for double grand slam winner Sinner, victor in the US Open as well as Melbourne last year, to be banned for between one and two years.
CAS gave no timetable for any verdict to be given, though the parties could request a fast-track decision before the French Open begins on May 25.
Sinner's explanation for the positive tests was that they were due to a massage from a trainer who used the substance after cutting his own finger, and it was accepted by the ITIA.
Sinner went on to win the US Open in September after details of his case were revealed, with the 23-year-old Italian then facing scepticism from other players, including Nick Kyrgios, who have suggested he received preferential treatment.
The controversy surrounding the case has pursued Sinner to Melbourne, with the Italian admitting on Friday that the saga was still playing on his mind.
"Yeah, you think about this, of course. I would lie if I would tell you I forget. No, it's not like this," Sinner told reporters.
"It's something that I have with me now 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," added the 23-year-old, who faces Chile's Nicolas Jarry in the first round.
Sinner has come under fire from rivals over the doping saga, with Kyrgios among his most vocal critics.
The Australian firebrand labelled Sinner's positive tests a "disgusting" look for the sport and took another subtle swipe on Friday when he told reporters: "I'm very confident in myself that I'm not going to be accidentally putting something in my system."
News of the CAS hearing being closed further riled Kyrgios on Saturday.
"Why is it behind closed doors? If you did nothing wrong then let us have the transparency," Kyrgios posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
A CAS statement on Friday indicated the hearing would be behind closed doors because no parties had requested a public hearing.
With agencies
