Jannik Sinner’s Rivals Struggle for Consistency in His Absence, Says Paolo Lorenzi
According to former Italian ATP pro Paolo Lorenzi, Jannik Sinner’s top rivals have “really struggled” during his suspension, failing to maintain consistency in his absence.
On February 15, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that Sinner had accepted a three-month suspension after testing positive for the anabolic steroid clostebol twice in March 2024. His ban runs from February 9 to May 4, allowing him to return just in time for the Masters 1000 event in Rome, starting May 7.
Sinner’s absence has already forced him to miss key tournaments in Doha, Indian Wells, and Miami, as well as upcoming clay-court Masters events in Monte Carlo and Madrid. His suspension presented an opportunity for the chasing pack to close the gap at the top of the ATP rankings—but so far, they have struggled to capitalize.
World No. 2 Alexander Zverev has had an underwhelming run, posting a modest 4-4 record across events in Buenos Aires, Rio de Janeiro, Acapulco, and Indian Wells. Meanwhile, third-ranked Carlos Alcaraz found some success by winning the Rotterdam Open in February and making deep runs in Doha and Indian Wells. However, his second-round exit in Miami dashed any hopes of overtaking Sinner before his return.
Speaking to Italian TV channel SuperTennis, Lorenzi highlighted the inconsistency among Alcaraz, Zverev, and Novak Djokovic, noting that no player has managed to dominate in Sinner’s absence.
“They lack continuity. Even the strongest players are struggling,” said the former world No. 33 (translated from Italian).
“Without Sinner, there isn’t much difference between the others. When they aren’t in top form, they don’t win matches.
“Alcaraz, for example, has serious consistency issues. This was his chance to reclaim the No. 1 ranking, but he hasn’t been able to take advantage of it. He must address this quickly.
“The same goes for Zverev—he traveled to South America to gain ranking points but found the conditions too challenging.
“As for Djokovic, I also expected more from him. Right now, none of them are showing a clear edge over the field.
“Sinner has improved so much that the others are now trying to adjust their games just to keep up. But that process takes time, and in the meantime, they are dropping matches.”
