Men’s tennis world number one, Jannik Sinner, was overjoyed following his triumphant return after a three-month doping ban, securing a 6–3 6–4 victory over Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the second round of the Italian Open.
In February, Sinner reached a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency, resulting in an immediate three-month suspension after authorities determined that the anabolic agent clostebol had entered his system through massages from his physiotherapist.
For the three-time Grand Slam champion, who had not competed since winning the Australian Open in January, the victory on home soil was not just about winning but also about regaining his momentum.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said the 23-year-old. “I’ve been waiting a long time for this moment. I’m very happy to be back. It’s tough to get the right feedback when you haven’t played any matches, and that’s exactly what I need. Now, I think the best practice is the match itself, so I’m really happy about that.”
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Sinner acknowledged some rust from the time off, but the joy of being back on the court outweighed any concerns about his sharpness or rhythm.
“I’m very happy with the win today. It was tough. Navone is such a great player, especially on this surface. I tried to move around the ball,” he said. “At times, it went really well, and at other times it could have been better. But, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what the result is today. It has been a remarkable day for me, and I’m really happy.”
Sinner was pleasantly surprised by how well his game felt after the break, extending his tour-level winning streak to 22 matches.
“I was surprised at how quickly things felt good.”
“I gave everything I had, and I think that’s all I can do right now. It felt quite good, to be honest.”
“Of course, there were some ups and downs, which is normal, but Navone played some great tennis, especially when he broke me in the second set. I tried to accept that and refocus. Now, I have some good feedback, and I’m hopeful I can work with that moving forward,”he admitted.
