World No. 1 Jannik Sinner marked his return to professional tennis with a dominant win at the Italian Open, defeating Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4 in his first match since serving a three-month suspension.
Sinner, who agreed to the ban in February as part of a resolution with the World Anti-Doping Agency, returned to action on May 4. Playing in his home country for the first time since 2023, the 23-year-old was met with a warm reception on Campo Centrale in Rome.
The match marked Sinner’s first competitive appearance since winning the Australian Open in January. Despite restrictions during his suspension, which barred him from training at official venues or with tour players until April 13, Sinner showed little rust. He resumed practice last month with players including Jack Draper and Holger Rune.
In the match against Navone—currently ranked No. 99—Sinner quickly found his rhythm. He saved an early break point and broke serve immediately afterward. The first set took 42 minutes, with Sinner hitting 11 winners and 11 unforced errors.
Although his level dipped slightly in the second set, leading to a brief exchange of service breaks, Sinner elevated his game when it mattered most. He broke again at 4-4 and closed out the match on his first opportunity.
While not his sharpest performance, Sinner’s return sent a clear message: he remains a formidable force on the ATP Tour. With more matches, the Italian could soon be back to peak form—just in time for the rest of the clay season.
