Nick Kyrgios’s fixation with Jannik Sinner has become the talk of the town within the tennis community and fans. His weird obsession with the ATP world number one is an offshoot of several factors- moral critique, personal animosity, and attention-driven persona and largely doping.
While Kyrgios frames himself as a crusader against perceived inequality in tennis, many see his behavior as performative. Sinner, on the other hand, remains largely silent and focused on his performance—entering a phase of dominance marked by behavior in total contrast to Kyrgios’s theatrics.
In this article, we break down the Aussies’ obsession with the Sinner. Here are five reasons why Kyrgios cannot stop talking about the four-time Grand Slam champion.
Why Nick Kyrgios Is Obsessed With Jannik Sinner?
1. The Doping Scandal
Jannik Sinner accepted a three-month ban rewarded by WADA (World Anti Doping Agency) in early 2025 because he was tested positive in March 2024 twice for the banned anabolic agent clostebo. The tribunal later cleared him under a “no fault or negligence” ruling. This set the ball rolling for Nick Kyrgios, who called the verdict “ridiculous” and demanded a strict two-year ban, regardless of intent.
Kyrgios has repeatedly used social media to mock Sinner, including refusing to play doubles with him, stating he “only plays with clean players” He dubbed Sinner “The Grinch” during a holiday quip and intensively pushed the narrative of injustice around the case.
2. Reappointment of Coach
Most recently, Sinner reunited with coach Umberto Ferrara after parting ways due to the doping scandal. The Aussie did not take it lying down and posted that the tennis world had been “played,” further suggesting his belief that Sinner’s case was not handled fairly. The coach was linked to the clostebol incident.
3. Jilted Feelings
There is also a personal layer to this perceived “obsession”. Sinner was rumoured to be dating Anna Kalinskaya, who previously dated Nick Kyrgios. Kyrgios has made cryptic and, at times, controversial remarks alluding to Kalinskaya in the context of Sinner, leading to speculation that personal feelings might be fueling some of his criticism. For instance, he posted “Second serve” in response to an old photo of himself and Kalinskaya, which was widely seen as a jab at their former relationship and Sinner’s current one.

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Timeline of Key Events