Fans in Las Vegas will not get to watch Jannik Sinner at next month’s exhibition in the city because of his ongoing ban from tournaments. The Italian’s replacement for the event has already been announced.
Sinner’s team and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) settled his doping case by agreeing to a three-month suspension. That meant the ATP world No. 1 did not need to attend his scheduled appeal hearing in April at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
Settling the case finally resolved a nightmare for Sinner that began when he tested positive for the banned substance clostebol at the 2024 Indian Wells Open almost 12 months after accidental contamination via his physiotherapist.
Sinner is banned until May 4th, and his next eligible tournament will be the 2025 Italian Open. The 23-year-old’s suspension is not just limited to ATP events. He also cannot feature in any exhibitions.
That means Sinner was forced to withdraw from the MGM Rewards Slam, an exhibition in Las Vegas scheduled for March 1st and 2nd. Naomi Osaka, Aryna Sabalenka, Alexander Zverev, and Taylor Fritz are among the other players who will appear in Las Vegas.
Sinner’s initial planned appearance at the exhibition indicates that he was not expecting to settle his case with WADA before the CAS hearing that was scheduled for April 16th and 17th. How long the talks about settling the case lasted is unknown.
Despite the controversy surrounding Sinner’s case settlement, losing him is a significant blow to the exhibition organizers. Having the ATP and WTA world No. 1 (Sabalenka) involved generated significant attention around the exhibition.
Although entirely replacing Sinner might prove impossible, the MGM Rewards Slam has managed to secure the involvement of an excellent ATP player who spectators in Las Vegas will undoubtedly enjoy watching.
Casper Ruud takes Sinner’s place. The three-time Grand Slam runner-up announced his involvement on social media, said he was excited, and confirmed he would appear on March 2nd.
“I’m excited to announce that I’ll be at The MGM Rewards Slam at Michelob ULTRA Arena in Las Vegas! Join me and many more on March 2nd.”
The exhibition was initially announced for March 1st and 2nd without any further details about which players would feature on each day. Some scheduling confusion led to a clarification being made by Fritz.
Zverev, Fritz, Ruud, and Tommy Paul have all committed to playing at next week’s 2025 Mexican Open in Acapulco, the final of which is scheduled for March 1st. That led to some wondering whether those men would skip it to play at the exhibition in Las Vegas.
However, Fritz responded by confirming that the ATP players would only be appearing on March 2nd and that the opening day would be a match between Sabalenka and Osaka. The American was disappointed that many made assumptions about him and the other players.
The MGM Rewards Slam promises to be an enjoyable exhibition. Those involved will then prepare for the 2025 Indian Wells Open, which starts a few days afterward.
