Tennis legend Andy Roddick believes fans and pundits alike will be quick to jump to conclusions when Jannik Sinner returns to the ATP Tour next month.
Following months of speculation about a potential suspension, Sinner was ultimately handed a three-month ban. Now, all eyes are on the world No. 1 as he prepares to make his comeback at the Rome Masters in early May, followed by the ATP 500 event in Hamburg the week before Roland Garros.
On his podcast Served with Andy Roddick, the 2003 US Open champion offered his take on the Italian’s return to competition—and the likely media frenzy that will accompany it.
“What’s going to happen is one of two things,” Roddick said. “He’s not going to play as well in Rome or the French Open—and by the way, it’s not his best surface—so we are going to overreact to whatever the result is when he comes back.
“If he loses in Rome, or even in the semifinals of the French Open, we’ll say, ‘That really hurt him.’ But honestly, that could have happened either way—ban or no ban.”
Despite the layoff, Roddick suggested the time off might actually benefit Sinner, who had a grueling 2024 season. The 23-year-old, after all, has only played one tournament this year—but it was a dominant one, winning the Australian Open and bringing his 2025 record to a perfect 7-0.
Rome, however, hasn’t been kind to Sinner in the past. In five appearances, he’s only made it to the quarterfinals once. But with the current circumstances, this year’s tournament will likely attract more attention than ever before from Italian fans and global observers alike.
Sinner’s return is set for May 7 at the Rome Masters—where, ready or not, the spotlight will be waiting.
