The 2025 Wimbledon Championships concluded with a thrilling men’s final on July 13, where world number one Jannik Sinner outlasted Carlos Alcaraz in a gripping four-set battle, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4, to claim his first Wimbledon title and fourth Grand Slam overall. The victory marked a pivotal moment for the 23-year-old Italian, who snapped Alcaraz’s five-match winning streak against him and ended the Spaniard’s bid for a third consecutive Wimbledon crown. Yet, the celebratory mood was swiftly overshadowed by a cryptic social media post from Australian tennis maverick Nick Kyrgios, whose single asterisk (*) on X sparked a firestorm of debate. The post, widely interpreted as a jab at Sinner’s doping controversy from 2024, reignited tensions and divided the tennis community over the integrity of the sport’s biggest stage.
Kyrgios, the 2022 Wimbledon finalist, has been a vocal critic of Sinner since news broke of the Italian’s two positive tests for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in March 2024, during and after the Indian Wells tournament. The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared Sinner of wrongdoing, accepting his explanation that the substance entered his system inadvertently through a spray used by his physiotherapist to treat a cut. A three-month suspension from February to May 2025, agreed upon with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), allowed Sinner to return in time for the French Open and Wimbledon, but not without forfeiting his Indian Wells prize money and ranking points. Kyrgios, however, has consistently questioned the leniency of the punishment. “At the end of the day, the decision has been made, and it’s kind of in the past,” he said before the Wimbledon final. “Do I think it’s a good look for the sport that [Iga] Swiatek and Sinner are in the final at Wimbledon after serving a ban? I don’t think it’s a good look for the sport.”
The asterisk post, shared moments after Sinner’s victory, was seen by many as a pointed reference to the doping saga, suggesting the win deserved a caveat. Fans on X were quick to react, with some praising Kyrgios for highlighting perceived inconsistencies in tennis’ anti-doping policies. “Finally someone mentioning it, we are all thinking it,” one supporter wrote, while another called it “100% the take on this Wimbledon.” Others, however, slammed the Australian for what they saw as petty jealousy. “Keep tweeting bro… While Jannik lifts trophies,” one fan retorted, and another defended Sinner, stating, “He dominated fair and square.” The polarized response reflects Kyrgios’ knack for stirring controversy, a trait that has defined his career as much as his electrifying talent.
Sinner, who also defeated Novak Djokovic en route to the title, remained unfazed, focusing on his achievement. “You have to understand what you did wrong, accept the loss and keep working,” he said, reflecting on his journey from a tough French Open loss to Alcaraz. “I’m so grateful I’m healthy and have great people around me.” His composure under pressure, both on and off the court, has earned him admiration, but Kyrgios’ relentless critique—echoed in earlier posts like “So you were innocent… but now you are suspended from playing the sport? Make it make sense”—continues to cast a shadow. The Australian, sidelined from Wimbledon 2025 due to a recurring knee injury, has used his platform to question the fairness of Sinner’s case, even suggesting he’d rally the crowd against him if they met at the Australian Open. “I’d get every person in the crowd to get on him,” he said on a podcast in December 2024.
The feud, which dates back to Sinner’s 2022 Miami Open win over Kyrgios, is further complicated by personal history. Sinner’s relationship with Anna Kalinskaya, Kyrgios’ ex-girlfriend, prompted a controversial “second serve” comment from Kyrgios in 2024, seen as a dig at both. Yet, Sinner has chosen diplomacy, saying at the 2024 US Open, “Everyone is free to say everything, so it’s OK.” As Kyrgios prepares for his own comeback at the DC Open on July 21, 2025, where he’s a two-time champion, his ongoing crusade against Sinner underscores a broader debate about fairness in tennis. “Fairness in tennis does not exist,” he posted after Sinner’s ban was announced, a sentiment that continues to fuel his provocative stance.
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