When he debuts and the chance of crossing with an Argentine

Jannik Sinner is ready to return to the courts. Last Sunday, May 4, the three -month suspension that he had to comply with for the agreement signed in February with the World anti -doping agency as punishment for its positive in two anti -doping controls last year. And, without wasting time, the Italian said present this Monday at the Italic forum And he began to officially prepare the Masters 1000 of Rometournament that will start on Wednesday and mark your return to competition.

Wearing a white shirt with the silhouette of a man playing tennis and legend “Just do it” (Just do itthe iconic slogan of the clothing brand that you saw), the world number one was received by a multitude of fans who gave him a warm welcome and saw him ball with the Czech Be there legs on one of the courts of the sports complex located at the base of Mount Mario. And later, in a relaxed press conference, he was encouraged to talk about everything: what he lived in recent months, expectations for his next contests and what happened in the circuit during his absence.

“Being surrounded again with so many people and so much attention is a very strange feeling. But it is nice to be back,” Sinner said. “The most beautiful thing to return will be to enter a court again and see fans. The worst will be the pressure and the doubts of seeing what level I have. But I am not afraid, only I am very happy to be here“.

Sinner will be the first preclassified of the last 1000 Masters prior to Roland Garros. Will debut on Saturday in second round with the winner of the clash between his compatriot Federico China (323 ° and guest of the organization) and the Argentine Mariano Navone (99 °). If logic occurs, I would go in the quarterfinals before the Norwegian Casper Ruud (6th preclassified and recent champion in Madrid), in Semis against the American Taylor Fritz (4th) and I could only cross in a hypothetical final with the Spanish Carlos Alcaraz (3rd). Maximum favorite in the papers for its status of number 1, the one born in San Candido 23 years ago understands that its reality paints another panorama.

“My expectations for this tournament are very low. I need to play to know where my level is really and I think it will come little by little, while the games go. After the first one I will have an image of my tennis and I will see where I am, “he analyzed without turns.

And he clarified: “The main objective is Paris. These weeks will help me to see what tennis I am playing, I am not here to overcome everyone, I’m here to try. Each game is difficult and the beginning of a new tournament is always complicated. I have to get in my head that he is a rival a day, but I am calm and physically and mentally I am also recovered. “

Sinner positive for clostebol in two controls carried out in March 2024although the case was just made public in August, in the previous one of a US Open that the Italian ended up winning. Jannik argued that the drug -an anabolic steroid found in healing creams or that they treat skin conditions – entered his body by accidentdue to an error of their physiotherapists, who later separated from their team. The Humid He accepted the justification and as the amount was so small that he did not provide him with a competitive advantage, he acquitted it. But The Wada pressed to impose a sanction of one to two years. And finally, In February, the three parties agreed to the suspension of three months, which ended on Sunday.

The Italian -this year he played only the Australian Openin which he conquered his third “great”- he acknowledged on Monday that it was not easy for him to accept the agreement with the Wada.

“At first, I didn’t want to know what had really happened, but it was playing it to all or nothing. And Sometimes you have to accept the best at the worst moment. I am very happy to have ended and that the sanction has not coincided with any Grand Slam, “he said.

Last week, in an interview with the Rai1public television chain in his country, he had recognized that the obligatory parate, in the end, was needed.

“Last season it was difficult, I played very well but I was not happy outside the court. This year, before Australia, I was at a very unhappy moment. I did not feel really comfortable, the players looked at me differently and that I did not like anything. I thought that living the tennis was very heavy: I always took the tennis joke and joke I considered taking some time after Australia. Then what happened happened, I did not want it to be so but it was good for me. Three months is a lot, but I needed a different time, with friends, giving priority to the people who love me“He recalled in that note, which broke audience records in Italy.

During that talk he also defended himself from the criticisms he received for the (for some) privileged treatment of his case. “Everyone is free to judge and say what they want, but anyone who positive has the same protocols. There is no different treatment. In my case I received some criticisms, but it was not treated differently. I had to make many calls and they checked me even more than others, “he said.

Although today looks back and recognizes that time without playing “came well”, at the time Sinner suffered it.

“At first it was all very confusing because I didn’t know what to do so much free time. But I have come to understand what is really important for me. The worst thing was that he was not able to see any sport. I couldn’t go to a football stadium to see a friend in a cycling competition. For me that was very hard, but I tried to get the best out of me at that time to be prepared for my return. And now everything is fine, “he said.

The Italian revealed that after the confirmation of the suspension, he received messages from some players who “surprised him.” “I didn’t receive anything from others, but it’s normal. Tennis is an individual sport and everyone wants to win,” he said.

He also said that everything he lived did not change the essence: “I have not changed anything about last year. In any case, I feel freer. I learned that outside the court it is very important to be surrounded by the right people. I lived these three months with another rhythm of life, with my friends and my family. Everything went too well and I am very happy for how we have managed everything, because it was not easy“.

Although he has not played since January and that the suspension could not defend the titles of Rotterdam y Miamithe final of Indian Wells and the accumulated points with other good performances last year, Sinner did not lose number one. Zverev and Alcaraz could have stolen it, but None managed to do what I needed to do to lower it from the top. And the Italian will play again with the peace of mind of knowing that he will continue in that position, at least, to Roland Garros, where in 2024 he was semifinalist.

Asked about whether he surprised that none of his escorts in the ranking could dethrone him, he said: “I honestly, I did not follow the circuit at the beginning of the sanction. I did not see Indian Wells or Miami, I only learned of the results. Because the truth is that it is that the truth is that it is that the truth is that it is that the truth is that the I could not control anything that happened in the circuit. The same for me the most important thing is the race to Turin (NDD: the ranking that takes into account only the results of this season and that classifies the first eight to the ATP finals). I am happy in the position in which I am, but I would be the same as happy in the third or fourth place“.

Disabled to train on official courts and together with professional tennis players until April 13 -this week he returned sessions with Matteo Berrettini y Jack Draper-, Sinner revealed that staying active and trying not to lose rhythm and the physical state was a challenge.

“They were very long months. We were practicing very hard, especially in the gym at the beginning and then we returned to the court. It was fine, but I noticed that I have not played for a long time. The blisters in my hands reappeared because it was no longer used to it, but all good,” he said. “I am very happy, very curious to see where I am. Now my body has to adapt again to tennis“.