Jannik Sinner shrugged off the controversy surrounding his positive drug tests to claim his second Grand Slam at the US Open in clinical style.
The world No.1 was cleared to play in New York after a tribunal accepted his defence that his two failed tests back in March were caused by a massage by his physio.
Many players – past and present – cast doubt on the verdict and the process with Nick Kyrgios calling the judgement “ridiculous”.
But after a shaky start to the tournament, the Italian recovered to show he is the best player on the planet by beating home favourite Taylor Fritz 6-3 6-4 7-5 in a largely one-sided final. It lasted only two hours and 16 minutes.
Like women’s champion Aryna Sabalenka, the Australian Open champion has completed the hardcourt double this season. And like the Belarusian, he also silenced a vocal home crowd by beating an underdog American in the final.
Not even the chants of “USA, USA” ringing around the biggest tennis stadium in the world – nor the presence of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce – could help Fritz.
The Californian had been bidding to become the first American man to win the US Open singles title since Andy Roddick in 2003.
But in his first Grand Slam final, the big-serving Fritz made only 38% of first serves in a nervous opening set and he never really recovered. Until the third set, Jack Draper gave Sinner a stiffer test in the semi-final.
Both singles champions here also both missed the Olympics last month with Sinner suffering from tonsillitis and Sabalenka because of the shoulder injury which ruled her out of Wimbledon.
The start time was brought forward to 2pm local time for US TV – and the final Grand Slam final of the season seemed destined for an early finish when Fritz was broken in the opening game when he speared an ugly smash into the sidelines.
The American broke back to draw the set level at 2-2 when a careless service game from Sinner ended with a casual forehand swing valley into the net.
But from 3-3, the world No.1 took control of the set and the match.
He broke Fritz for a second time when the No12 seed could not reach a forehand sliced drop shot. And after Sinner dismissed a 107mph second serve with a contemptuous forehand winner, the Italian took his third set point – and his third break of the set – when Fritz sent a backhand long.
The American managed only a dismal 38% of first serves in the opening 41-minute set.
Fritz served better in the second set – and won 13 consecutive points on his serve at one point. But after the first nine games going with serve, Sinner stepped up and took his first set point when Fritz could not return his backhand down the line.
The American was broken four times in the first two sets but Sinner’s first serve percentage fell to only 38% in the first four games to allow Fritz back into the contest
At 2-3 in the third set, the American saved a break point at the end of a 21-shot rally and then broke to lead 4-3 when Sinner served a double fault at 15-40 to the biggest cheers of the afternoon.
But serving for the set at 5-4, Fritz was broken when he sent down a 76mph second serve, retrieved a drop shot but botched his forehand volley into the net.
Then serving to stay in the match, the American was broken for a sixth and final time when he gifted a first match point with a shanked swing volley and then dumped a forehand into the net.
