Jannik Sinner will launch his Australian Open title defence under a stubborn doping cloud but the whiff of scandal may do little to halt the Italian juggernaut. Sinner remains the man to beat at Melbourne Park even as doping officials seek a two-year ban for the world number one for failing two drugs tests last March.

Defending champion Jannik Sinner and 10-time Australian Open winner Novak Djokovic have landed in opposite sides of the draw for the season’s first major, ruling out a replay of last year’s semifinal encounter.

World number one Jannik Sinner said Friday he did not know when the highest court in sport will deliver its verdict as ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi stressed the Italian's doping case was "run by the book".

ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi has insisted Jannik Sinner's doping case was "run by the book" with no preferential treatment, and expressed confidence that tennis would survive should the Italian be banned.

World number one Jannik Sinner said Friday he had done nothing wrong as ATP chairman Andrea Gaudenzi stressed the Italian's doping case was "run by the book" with no preferential treatment. "I am 100 percent sure that there has not been any preferential treatment.