Jannik Sinner is back, and he is back in the best situation. After serving a three-month suspension for two failed drug tests in March of 2024, and after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed his initial ruling of innocence by the International Tennis Integrity Agency, Sinner is set to return at the Italian Open. He is scheduled to play his first match at the event on Friday.
Sinner is Italian, and it is unlikely he would have received the kind of criticism from fans had he returned at nearly any other tournament. The ATP No. 1 is well-liked by players and fans, though his suspension will probably tarnish his image for the rest of his career.
The potential problem for tennis is that Sinner will always have a black spot on his career, but he will likely rule the sport for some time. He lost points over the last three months since he could not play in tournaments, but he still returns as the No. 1 player by a good margin.
Jannik Sinner speaks before playing at the Italian Open
He also has no points to defend in Rome as he missed the event last year due to injury. This means any points he gains will be on top of the points he already holds. He is going to stay No. 1 for a long time.
In his pre-Italian Open press conference, Sinner delivered his side of the truth to questions about his return. He continued to maintain his innocence from the failed drug tests, and he admitted he did not want to agree to the abbreviated suspension at first. He could have been set up for a longer one, though, and one that might have forced him to miss Grand Slams.
Sinner told the media, "I didn't want to do it (agree to a settlement) in the beginning, so it was not easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened. But sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment, and that's what we did. For me personally, it's good news that there are not the Grand Slams included."
Legends like Rafael Nadal have maintained their belief that Sinner did not intentionally ingest any prohibited substance. He tested positive for clostebol, but claimed that the substance was applied as part of a rubbing compound from a massage therapist. The amount he tested positive for was very low and unlikely to provide any physical advantage.
Sinner said his expectations for winning in Rome, an event where he has never made it past the quarterfinals, were "low." He needs some time to work his way back into playing shape. However, no one should count out a deep run by the Italian.