Italian tennis star Jannik Sinner is currently serving a three-month suspension handed down by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after testing positive for clostebol during the 2024 Indian Wells Masters 1000 in March. The ban, which began in February, will keep him sidelined until May—but the 22-year-old is already preparing for his comeback.
Sinner is expected to return to the ATP Tour on May 4 at the Rome Open. The suspension forced him to miss high-profile tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami, but despite the layoff, he remains the top-ranked player in the world.
In a recent interview with Sky Sports Italy, Sinner reflected on the decision to accept the suspension. “In the end, you have to choose the lesser evil and I believe that is what I have done,” he said. “Even if sometimes it seems a bit unfair, all that I’m living, but then if I look at things from a different perspective it could have been worse. Even more unfairness. This is the way it is”.
The Italian also explained how quickly the decision came together, despite his personal objections. “The decision to take the three-month suspension was rather quick. We accepted it quite quickly, even though I didn’t agree completely. There was a bit of back and forth with my lawyer and the people around me,” Sinner added. “After we took this decision, it took me a while to find myself again”.
Jannik Sinner of Italy plays a forehand against Francisco Cerundolo of Argentina during their 2023 Rome Open match. (Alex Pantling/Getty Images)
Sinner eyes return at Rome Open
The 22-year-old is gearing up for his return at the Rome Open, where he’ll play in front of a home crowd. While he’s still processing the events of the past few months, Sinner says he’s eager to get back to competing.
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“There is still a bit of time to digest all this, but I can’t wait to be back in Rome,” he shared. “It’s a special tournament for me, even though it will also very tough. I‘ll be back in a moment in which there will be already a lot of attention on me, and in Rome it’s not easy. But let’s say I am living every day in a calm manner”.
Uncertainty over other players’ reactions
WADA’s decision to suspend Sinner for three months drew criticism from several players, many of whom felt the Italian received unusually harsh treatment. Now, as he prepares to rejoin the tour, questions remain about how his peers will respond.
“I can’t answer this question as I don’t know what could happen,” Sinner said when asked about the potential reaction from other players. “I know how things went, I know I am innocent. I am calm because in the end I know that what I want to do is to play tennis and be serene. That’s the end of the story”.
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