The Jannik Sinner drugs saga is still lingering as the Italian champion closes in on his Australian Open title defence, but recently retired Australian cult hero John Millman is stunned by the scandal’s seemingly minimal impact on the two-time major winner.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) is yet to make a ruling on the Sinner case after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed his non-sanction with the Switzerland-based court.

WADA took the matter to CAS after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) decided against banning the world No.1 for twice testing positive to a prohibited substance on the grounds of “no fault or negligence”, having accepted that he’d become contaminated through a cream applied by his physiotherapist.

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The Sinner case was made public less than a week out from August’s US Open, which was won by the superstar in a final against American Taylor Fritz.

Speaking on SEN a day out from the reveal of the Australian Open main draw, Millman said Sinner had surprised and impressed him with the composure he’d shown throughout the ordeal.

“What Jannik did incredibly well at the US Open when all this came out was manage to silence the noise,” said Millman, who will be commentating for Nine on the Australian Open.

“When that [US Open] draw came out and with the case coming out at the same time, he was the first name I kind of scrubbed out and put a line through. I didn’t think he’d do anything at the US Open.

“Well, he proved how silly I was because he went on to win the US Open.

“So he’s very good at blocking out the noise, and from what I saw yesterday he looked pretty calm [and] cool in that exhibition match [against Australian Alexei Popyrin].”

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In 2024, Sinner became just the third man in the Open era to claim his first two career majors in the same season, matching the feats of American Jimmy Connors (1974) and Argentine Guillermo Vilas (1977).

The 23-year-old also became just the third player in the Open era to win at least one set in each match of a calendar year, placing himself in the esteemed company of Swiss maestro Roger Federer and US legend Serena Williams.

On Rod Laver Arena on Tuesday, Sinner defeated Australia’s Alexei Popyrin with a 6-4, 7-6(2) win.

Sinner is now set to take on an Australian Open field featuring Novak Djokovic, who’s vying for a record-extending 11th title at Melbourne Park.

“You kind of feel like the stars are aligning for Novak,” Millman said of the Serbian great.

“Yes, he bowed out in the quarter-finals at the Brisbane International. But he said he wants 25 in ’25; he wants his 25th grand slam ‘Proved how silly I was’: Millman’s blunt Sinner admission in the year 2025.

“He’s also chasing his 100th career title [in ATP competition]. We thought we’d get that up in Brisbane; we were to be denied. But how nice would it be for Novak if he gets his 100th career title at the Australian Open on a court that’s known so well.

“Look, Rod Laver Arena is suitably named, but it wouldn’t have surprised me if we changed it at some stage to Novak Djokovic Arena, such has been his dominance on those courts.”

The Australian Open main draw will get under way on Sunday and wrap on January 26.