Jannik Sinner is preparing to return to action, having missed the last three months through suspension.
World number one Sinner was banned for three months earlier this year, causing him to miss four Masters 1000 tournaments.
Sinner won the Australian Open in January but hasn’t played a tournament since as he was unable to compete at Indian Wells or the Miami Open and will also miss the first two clay Masters events in Monte-Carlo and Madrid.
His home Italian Open will mark the 23-year-old’s return to action in May, ahead of the year’s second Major tournament at Roland Garros.
With the ATP Tour’s number one ranked player counting down the days until he can play once more, he now reveals what happened to him after receiving his three-month suspension.
Jannik Sinner says he was ‘fragile’ after receiving ban and felt ‘unexpected reactions’ inside him
During an interview with Sky Sport, the three-time Major champion spoke openly about how he felt following news of the ban.
“I was very fragile because things happened that I didn’t expect, unexpected reactions inside me,” said Sinner.
“Otherwise, I would be lying. I would appear to be a person without feelings and emotions, without anything, but in life, you learn.
“It wasn’t easy; in fact, it was very difficult, but the people around me lifted my spirits; they gave me the strength to better understand what happened.”
His fate was originally set to be decided in a hearing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport [CAS], with many suggesting Sinner could receive a ban of up to six months.
With the threat of a longer ban looming, Sinner chose to accept the terms of a three-month suspension.
“The three-month suspension was a decision to be made in a short time, even if I did not agree with it, in the end you have to choose the lesser evil and I think that is what I did,” he said.
“Even if sometimes I feel that what I am going through is a bit unfair, but it is also true that it could have been much worse, right?
“This whole story could have been even more unfair, so it went like this.”
Sinner then revealed how he has kept himself busy while banned from competing on the ATP Tour.
“I feel very good. I am rested, so I am happy,” he said.
“Honestly I have done many different things, I have spent a lot of time with my family, especially with my dad.
“We have done different things with my best friends who are in Monte Carlo. I went go-karting, we went on a bike ride, in short, did many new things.”
The Italian then looked ahead to his return to competitive action at his home tournament next month.
“We are working really hard in the gym to be even more physically ready when I return,” said Sinner.
“Everything is going well.”
Is Jannik Sinner the favorite for the 2025 Italian Open?
Sinner has yet to win his home Masters tournament, reaching the quarterfinals just once in his previous five visits to the event.
- 2024 Italian Open – Jannik Sinner withdrew via hip injury
- 2023 Italian Open – Jannik Sinner lost to Francisco Cerundolo in 4R, 7-6, 2-6, 2-6
- 2022 Italian Open – Jannik Sinner lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in QF, 6-7, 2-6
- 2021 Italian Open – Jannik Sinner lost to Rafael Nadal in 2R, 5-7, 4-6
- 2020 Italian Open – Jannik Sinner lost to Grigor Dimitrov in 3R, 6-4, 4-6, 4-6
- 2019 Italian Open – Jannik Sinner lost to Stefanos Tsitsipas in 2R, 3-6, 2-6
He is, however, a much better player now than he was when he last took to the court in Rome, having won three Grand Slams since 2023.
The home favorite will face some tough opposition next month from several top stars who have enjoyed success in the Italian capital over the years.
| Player | Best result | Years won | ATP rank | Most recent result |
| Novak Djokovic | Winner (6) | 2008, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2020, 2022 | 5 | 2024 Italian Open – Lost in 3R to Alejandro Tabilo |
| Alexander Zverev | Winner (2) | 2017, 2024 | 2 | 2024 Italian Open – Won, beat Nicolas Jarry in F |
| Daniil Medvedev | Winner | 2023 | 11 | 2024 Italian Open – Lost in 4R to Tommy Paul |
| Stefanos Tsitsipas | Finalist | – | 8 | 2024 Italian Open – Lost in QF to Nicolas Jarry |
| Holger Rune | Finalist | – | 12 | 2024 Italian Open – Lost in 3R to Sebastian Baez |
| Nicolas Jarry | Finalist | – | 58 | 2024 Italian Open – Lost in F to Alexander Zverev |
| Stan Wawrinka | Finalist | 161 | 2023 Italian Open – Lost in 2R to Grigor Dimitrov |
Novak Djokovic will be as dangerous as ever in Rome, searching for a seventh title at the clay tournament he performs best at.
The 2024 Italian Open champion Alexander Zverev will be another to watch out for as he looks to defend a Masters 1000 title for the first time in his career.
It’s anyone’s guess who will win this year’s tournament but it will certainly be worth a watch next month.
The 2025 Italian Open, featuring the highly anticipated return of Sinner, is set to begin on May 7.
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