Sinner happy to return after doping ban but keeping expectations low for Italian Open
By
Reuters
Italian tennis player Jannik Sinner.
Photo:
PHOTOSPORT
World number one Jannik Sinner said on Monday that he was
heading into the Italian Open
with low expectations as he makes his comeback after serving a
three-month doping ban
.
Sinner agreed a
settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency
in February and began an immediate three-month suspension after authorities accepted that the anabolic agent clostebol had entered his system via massages from his physiotherapist.
The three-times Grand Slam champion, who has not played since winning the Australian Open in January, will now hope to leave the doping saga behind him and build momentum for the French Open, which runs from May 25 to June 8.
The Italian was cleared to return to training from April 13, with his suspension ending on May 4.
"It's a very, very low expectation tournament in general for me, it's talking also results wise," Sinner told reporters ahead of the Italian Open.
"What's missing is the complete feedback of where my level is. That's going to come then slowly with the time of playing, after the first round match I'm going to have a good picture of myself where I am at."
Despite missing out on three month's action, the 23-year-old was assured of retaining the top ranking for his home tournament after his closest challenger Alexander Zverev crashed to an early defeat in Monte-Carlo Masters.
"For me personally good news that the Grand Slams were not included... this kind of agreement, I didn't want to do it in the beginning.
"It was not easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened, but sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment," Sinner said.
"It's all over now, so I'm happy to play tennis again."
Sinner said last year was very difficult for him.
"I was in a tough situation and in the beginning of the Australian Open I struggled a lot. So, it was nice also to take a small break...," he added.
"But I could feel that I'm not playing for quite a long time. The body still has to adjust the times ... the blisters in hands they come again because you're not used to it anymore."
- Reuters
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
1News
an hour ago
- 1News
Carlos Alcaraz wins French Open final over Jannik Sinner
Carlos Alcaraz rallied from two sets down and saved three match points to beat Jannik Sinner 4-6 6-7 (4) 6-4 7-6 (3) 7-6 (10-2) on Monday and retain his French Open title for a second straight year. Alcaraz, who won his fifth Grand Slam tournament in as many finals, produced one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the clay-court tournament. It was the first time that Sinner had lost a Grand Slam final. It was also the longest-ever French Open final — 5 hours, 29 minutes — in the Open Era. After 3 hours, 43 minutes, Sinner had his first match point. But with just over five hours since the match began, Alcaraz served for the title at 5-4 up. ADVERTISEMENT The drama was still not over. Sinner made a remarkable retrieve from yet another superb Alcaraz drop shot. At the very limit he could stretch to, Sinner glided the ball over the net, with the ball landing with the softness of an autumn leaf and out of Alcaraz's reach to make it 15-40. When Sinner won the game to make it 5-5, it was his turn to milk the applause and he was two points away from victory in the 12th game, with Alcaraz on serve and at 15-30 and at deuce. But Alcaraz made a staggering cross-court backhand to make it 6-6 and force a tiebreaker, with the crowd going wild when Alcaraz's cross-court winner made it 4-0. Sinner could not find a way back and Alcaraz won the match with a superb forehand pass down the line and then fell onto his back to celebrate.
RNZ News
2 hours ago
- RNZ News
ANZ Premiership live updates: Stars v Magic
Mila Reuelu-Buchanan takes the ball in the Stars v Magic match at the Auckland Netball Centre on 3 June, 2024. Photo: Photosport / Andrew Cornaga Last weekend the Magic comfortably beat the Stars in Hamilton, can the Aucklanders turn it round with home court advantage? Play starts at 7:30pm. Follow all the action with RNZ's live blog:
RNZ News
8 hours ago
- RNZ News
Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff fire up the star power at French Open
By Dave Worsley * Carlos Alcaraz and Coco Gauff with their French Open trophies. Photo: AFP Analysis : There have been two superb finals to complete the French Open at Roland Garros in 2025 and two worthy winners in Coco Gauff and Carlos Alcaraz at 21 and 22 years-old respectively. So what does it mean for the sport as tennis tries to move into the future and grow its audience? Gauff is particularly marketable and joins Australian Open winner Madison Keys as the second American to win a Slam this year. A winner of the US Open title two years ago Gauff can take the sport to new heights. She is polite, but also a competitor of the highest order and seems to have worked out her forehand and how to make it a weapon rather than a weakness. She took the game to Aryna Sabalenka from the start of the match with the Belarusian making a huge 70 unforced errors which is a bit of a misnomer as the mistakes were forced upon Sabalenka by Gauff's good hitting and placement. Coco Gauff in action at the French Open. Photo: PHOTOSPORT Sabalenka will no doubt win more Grand Slams in the future, but she may have to adjust her game slightly as her power doesn't intimidate Gauff or Keys or when fit, Barbora Krejcikova. What has now been created is a rivalry between Gauff and Sabalenka with Iga Swiatek added in as well which bodes well for the future - the emotional rollercoaster of Sabalenka from Belarus in Eastern Europe against the American, Gauff. Only an action movie of the late 1980s could have written it better. The men's final in Paris went the full distance and beyond 4-6, 6-7(7)6-4 7-6(3),7-6(2) in five hours 29 minutes for second seed and defending champion Carlos Alcaraz over top seed Jannik Sinner who has come back from a disputed doping ban. Carlos Alcaraz poses with the ball boys and ball girls after his triumph today. Photo: AFP / Thibaud Moritz It was Alcaraz's fifth Grand Slam at 22 years old, equal to countryman Rafael Nadal. Among the plethora of statistics is the fact Alcaraz and Sinner have won all of the last seven Grand Slam titles between them - Sinner has notched up two Australian Opens and one US Open, Alcaraz two French Opens, one US Open and one Wimbledon. These two players should dominate men's tennis for the next few years with no one else coming close to their consistency or power. They have dismantled other players' games and are able to raise their playing level during a match, something only the best can do. Italian Sinner may not have the charisma of past winners , but he has a boyish charm which is likeable whereas Alcaraz just seems to love life and love tennis, an admirable trait and something which can lead the sport into the future. Spain's Carlos Alcaraz Photo: AFP / Thibaud Moritz It's important to note the possible final appearance of Novak Djokovic at the tournament. He played some fantastic tennis along the way before having a fierce battle against Sinner in the semifinals. Serbia's Novak Djokovic in action during the French Open. Photo: ALAIN JOCARD Public sentiment has moved from Djokovic almost being the villain when Roger Federer and Rafal Nadal were around to now holding the title of elder statesman and respected as he defies the odds and his age. Two American men made the quarterfinals in the feisty Frances Tiafoe and chilled Tommy Paul - the first male players from the United States to progress that far since Andre Agassi in 2003. Italian Lorenzo Musetti played with flair to reach the semifinals and could be a challenger to Sinner and Alcaraz. In the women's draw the star showing aside from the finalists was clearly French 22-year-old Lois Boisson who entered the tournament at 361 in the world as a wildcard and comes out as a top 70 player after displaying huge racquet speed on her forehand and causing havoc in the draw. * Journalist Dave Worsley has been covering tennis for many years and is an RNZ contributor.
