Jannik Sinner has made a triumphant return to tennis in Rome and looks to be a strong favorite for the title.
World number one, Sinner, received a three-month suspension from tennis earlier this year, which saw him miss four Masters 1000 events.
Returning in time for his home Italian Open, Sinner has made a winning start and is yet to drop a set in Rome.
Sinner beat Mariano Navone in his opening match, 6-3, 6-4, before taking down Jesper De Jong in the third round, 6-4, 6-2.
The Italian then passed his toughest test to reach the quarterfinals, winning 7-6, 6-3, against Francisco Cerundolo.
Speaking after his latest win, Sinner explained why he had to be ‘very careful’ during the latter stages of his fourth-round match.
Jannik Sinner admits he had to be ‘very careful’ even when leading Francisco Cerundolo 7-6, 5-1
Rain forced the fans on Stadio Centrale to wait for their home heroes’ fourth-round match, but they certainly got their money’s worth in the end.
Sinner and Cerundolo exchanged blows throughout, as the 23-year-old now gives his verdict on the match.
“He’s a very tough competitor, it’s obviously a great challenge for me, especially now in this moment, trying to get used to so many difficult situations on the court,” he said.
“I was a break up in the first, it was a very long game when he broke me back, and I just tried to stay there mentally, playing every point.
“Also in the end at 5-1, I knew I had to be very careful, things can turn so quickly.”
Sinner led 7-6, 5-1, but failed to convert match points as his Argentinian opponent fought back to win the next two games.
Eventually, it was the world number one who prevailed, 7-6, 6-3, booking his place in the quarterfinals, after a long day’s work.
“I’m very happy, today I feel like I raised my level,” said Sinner.
“Game-wise, I felt a little bit better, which I’m very glad and happy.
“Very heavy conditions, it was a very long day, so the crowd helped me so much today, I’m happy to go through.”
Sinner will enjoy a day off before returning to take on either Jaume Munar or Casper Ruud in his quarterfinal match on Thursday, May 15.
The Italian has never lost to either player, enjoying a combined winning head-to-head record of 4-0.
| Match | Winner | Loser | Score |
| 2024 ATP Finals – SF | Jannik Sinner | Casper Ruud | 6-1, 6-2 |
| 2022 Croatia Open – 2R | Jannik Sinner | Jaume Munar | 6-4, 6-4 |
| 2021 Vienna Open – QF | Jannik Sinner | Casper Ruud | 7-5, 6-1 |
| 2020 Vienna Open – 1R | Jannik Sinner | Casper Ruud | 7-6, 6-3 |
Looking ahead to his day off, Sinner explained how he is feeling physically after playing just his third match since January.
“Let’s see how I wake up, I know that it’s going to be a longer evening still for me, I have to do many things trying to recover in the best possible way,” he said.
“But as I said, I need this. I’m happy to be back. I was three months out, so every situation, I feel very fortunate to be here, lucky, and then we’ll see, whatever comes out, comes out.”
Jannik Sinner continues perfect record in 2025
The world number one remained undefeated in 2025 with his latest win in Rome, improving his season record to 10-0.
- 1. Australian Open 1R – Jannik Sinner beat Nicolas Jarry
- 2. Australian Open 2R – Jannik Sinner beat Tristan Schoolkate
- 3. Australian Open 3R – Jannik Sinner beat Marcos Giron
- 4. Australian Open 4R – Jannik Sinner beat Holger Rune
- 5. Australian Open QF – Jannik Sinner beat Alex de Minaur
- 6. Australian Open SF – Jannik Sinner beat Ben Shelton
- 7. Australian Open F – Jannik Sinner beat Alexander Zverev
- 8. Italian Open 2R – Jannik Sinner beat Mariano Navone
- 9. Italian Open 3R – Jannik Sinner beat Jesper De Jong
- 10. Italian Open 4R – Jannik Sinner beat Francisco Cerundolo
Sinner’s 100% winning record this year bests any player ranked inside the ATP top ten, with his closest rival, Carlos Alcaraz, trailing behind at 84%.
| Rank | Name | Win/Loss record | Win % |
| 1 | Jannik Sinner | 10-0 | 100% |
| 2 | Alexander Zverev | 24-8 | 75% |
| 3 | Carlos Alcaraz | 27-5 | 84% |
| 4 | Taylor Fritz | 16-8 | 67% |
| 5 | Jack Draper | 22-5 | 81% |
| 6 | Novak Djokovic | 12-7 | 63% |
| 7 | Casper Ruud | 23-6 | 79% |
| 8 | Alex de Minaur | 26-9 | 74% |
| 9 | Lorenzo Musetti | 19-6 | 76% |
| 10 | Holger Rune | 17-11 | 61% |
Alcaraz beat Karen Khachanov to advance to the quarterfinals, where he’ll take on Jack Draper in search of win number 28 in 2025.
Many have predicted Sinner and Alcaraz to contest this year’s Italian Open final, as fans eagerly anticipate an 11th career meeting between the pair.
Only time will tell if either player can reach the final, but they won’t want to get too far ahead of themselves.
Sinner will take on Ruud or Munar on Thursday, May 15, while Alcaraz takes on Draper on Wednesday, May 14.
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