Jannik Sinner Admits Rome Masters Return ‘Won’t Be Easy’ After Three-Month Suspension
Jannik Sinner has opened up in his first interview since accepting a three-month suspension from professional tennis, admitting that while he feels “rested,” his return to competition at the Rome Masters will not be “easy.”
The world number one had a stellar start to 2025, capturing the Australian Open title with impressive dominance, dropping just two sets along the way. However, his recent months have been challenging. After the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) cleared him of fault for failing two doping tests in March 2024, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the ruling in late September, leading to further complications.
Just weeks after his Australian Open victory, it was announced that Sinner had reached a settlement with WADA, agreeing to a three-month suspension in exchange for the withdrawal of WADA’s appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
“I’m very well, rested, and happy,” Sinner told Sky Sports Italia. “I would have preferred to do many other things, and of course, I would have chosen to play tennis. But right now, I’m doing fine and I’m not thinking too much about it.”
Sinner is set to make his comeback at the Rome Masters, the final Masters 1000 event before the French Open. “After this decision, it took me some time to find myself again,” the three-time Grand Slam champion shared. “But I’m still here, and while it takes a little time to process everything, I can’t wait to return to Rome. It’s a special tournament for me, although it will be very tough. There will be a lot of attention on me, and playing in Rome is never easy.”
Sinner’s best result in Rome came in 2022 when he reached the quarter-finals, falling to Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets. In 2024, he had to withdraw from the tournament due to a hip injury, which also forced him out of Madrid mid-tournament.
Reflecting on the challenging period, Sinner acknowledged his emotional struggle. “I was very fragile after everything that happened,” he admitted. “If I said I didn’t have feelings or emotions, I would be lying. In life, you learn more about yourself every year, including your value. It hasn’t been easy, it’s been very hard at times, but the people around me gave me the strength to understand what happened.”
His decision to accept the suspension appeared to be a rational one, as WADA’s appeal hearing was scheduled for April 16-17, with the potential of a much longer ban if he had lost the appeal.
Now, with his sights set on Roland Garros, Sinner expressed eagerness to return to competitive action. “At first, I counted the days until my return, but as the date gets closer, I feel better physically and mentally. It’s a good opportunity to work on areas where I’ve struggled, especially on surfaces that are tougher for me. Hopefully, it works, but if not, I’ll have more time to keep improving.”
As he prepares for his return at the Rome Masters, all eyes will be on the Italian star, eager to see how he performs after his time away from the court.
