On the eve ofChina Open 2025The world of tennis was shaken by an unexpected episode that had as protagonistMarin Čilić, Croatian veteran and champion of the US Open 2014. The tennis player expert, after returning after a period marked by injuries, publicly expressed his discontent for the draw that immediately sees him face Jannik Sinner, number 1 of the seeding and rising star of world tennis.

Čilić did not use the least terms: according to him the scoreboard would not have been unlucky, but even manipulated. «They deliberately coupled me with Sinner to eliminate me quickly. Is this sport still right? ” He declared in a tone on during an improvised press conference. Immediately afterwards he confirmed that he had submitted an official complaint to the tournament organizers, asking for a transparent analysis of the draw.

His words went around the world in a few minutes, feeding debates on between journalists, former players and fans. Many defended the Croatian, claiming that his long career and the successes obtained deserve greater respect. Others, on the other hand, considered his accusations a sign of frustration, understandable but unjustified: after all, draws often reserve difficult crossings and there is no concrete evidence of manipulations.

The story took an even more sensational fold ten minutes after the complaint, whenJannik SinnerHe decided to answer publicly. The Italian champion, known for his calm and composure, surprised everyone with a message as peaceful as pungent: «Respect Marin, he was a great champion and still is. But in tennis you win on the pitch, not outside. If he believes that the scoreboard is unfair, the only possible answer is to demonstrate the opposite by playing “.

Sinner’s declaration quickly conquered social media, with thousands of fans who praised his maturity. The hashtag#FairPlaySinnerIt has become trending topic, while the criticisms against Čilić multiplied. Some Croatian fans, however, continued to defend their idol, remembering the past triumphs and underlining that the system of draws in professional tennis could actually be more transparent.

Meanwhile, the atmosphere in Beijing has become electric. The meeting between Sinner and Čilić, already interesting from a technical point of view, has turned into a real media event. Tickets for the evening session in which the two will face each other were exhausted in a few hours. Broadcaster have announced an increase in unprecedented listenings for a first round of an ATP 500 tournament.

For Marin Čilić this challenge represents a double test: demonstrating that he is still competitive at 36 years of age and responding with the facts to the controversies raised by his own words. For Sinner, however, it will be an opportunity to reiterate his status as leader of world tennis and to confirm that the future belongs to him.

One thing is certain: whatever the outcome on the field, theChina Open 2025He has already written one of the most discussed and dramatic pages of his story even before the first ball is played.