Italian Davis Cup captain Filippo Volandri has expressed strong confidence in Jannik Sinner’s return to top form, emphasizing that the World No. 1’s preparation has been tailored with Roland Garros in mind.
Sinner, a three-time Grand Slam champion, has already served two months of a three-month suspension and has now been cleared to return to official training. He’s currently preparing at the Monte-Carlo Country Club near his residence, with the Rome Open—just three weeks away—set to be his comeback event.
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Sinner accepted a three-month suspension following a positive test for clostebol during the 2024 Indian Wells tournament. The banned substance was unintentionally transferred by a physiotherapist, who had treated his own injury with a spray containing clostebol and then worked on Sinner without gloves.
Volandri, who has worked closely with Sinner through Italy’s Davis Cup team, is no stranger to such situations. In 2009, he was handed a three-month ban for exceeding the therapeutic use of salbutamol—despite having a medical exemption for asthma.
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“We’re not expecting him to come back and win everything right away,” Volandri told La Gazzetta. “He’s surrounded by a world-class team who know what he needs to work on technically. They’re focusing on the right details.”
Volandri also shared insights into the tactical aspects of Sinner’s preparation, particularly for clay courts.
“You need a wide serve and heavy spin—shots that push opponents off the court,” he said. “Serving alone isn’t enough on clay because the surface absorbs power. But I believe this time off has allowed Jannik to fine-tune his game and come back stronger.”
Related: Countdown begins: Jannik Sinner cleared to return to court training ahead of Rome Open
The Italian captain believes that Sinner’s time away from competition could actually benefit him long-term.
“His training has been structured around Roland Garros, which is physically and mentally demanding with best-of-five matches,” Volandri explained. “In recent seasons, Jannik hasn’t had the chance to do a proper winter pre-season. This break has given him that opportunity—to rest, rebuild, and prepare for the next couple of years.”
Volandri added that Sinner’s mindset is in a good place. “I had dinner with his coach Vagnozzi last week, and he told me Jannik is extremely motivated and mentally focused on the upcoming events. Of course, nothing can replace the adrenaline of match play, so we’re not expecting a winning streak from the start. But with every match, he’ll get closer to his peak—especially for Paris.”
