Jannik Sinner may exit 2024 under a doping cloud but he remains just as popular as ever with ATP Tour fans.
The Italian has won the ATP Fans’ Favourite award for a second time, having previously triumphed for the first time 12 months ago.
World No 1 Sinner is certainly no stranger to ATP awards, having already won the 2024 Player of the Year award while winning the Most Improved Player award in 2023, and the Newcomer award back in 2019.
Recognition from fans of the men’s game caps off a remarkable season for the Italian, who rose to the top of the ATP Rankings and sealed his maiden Grand Slam triumphs at the Australian Open and US Open.
Sinner won eight titles overall in 2024 and won 73 of his 79 matches across the season.
Reacting to the award, he said: “I just wanted to thank all the fans around the world for voting for me. It means so much to me because the votes are coming from all of you, so it means even more.
“You are the reason why I love to play tennis. This support has been amazing throughout this whole season, so thank you so much again.
“See you very soon again on the court next year.”
Recognition for Sinner comes despite the revelation this summer that he had twice tested positive for banned steroid clostebol back in March.
The 23-year-old was found to be of “no fault” by the International Tennis Integrity Agency in August, with news of the violations not made public until the decision in his case was announced.
Sinner has at times faced intense scrutiny from some corners since the news emerged, and he could still be banned should a World Anti-Doping Agency appeal into his case be successful.
However, winning this award despite the ongoing controversy shows that the Italian still holds a huge amount of public support.
The Fan’s Favourite award was first introduced by the ATP in 2000 and Sinner is now one of just three men to win more than once, following in the footsteps of Roger Federer and Marat Safin.
Former world No 1 Safin won in 2001 and 2002 before Federer won a staggering haul of 19 consecutive Fans’ Favourite awards between 2003 and 2021.
For Sinner to match the Swiss icon’s staggering haul, he would have to win the award every year until 2041.
The only other winners of the award are Gustavo Kuerten, the inaugural winner back in 2000, and Rafael Nadal, who triumphed in 2022.
