Jannik Sinner is set to return to tennis next week having missed three months of action.
World number one Jannik Sinner won the Australian Open in January, beating Alexander Zverev 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 in the final.
Shocking news then broke, as Sinner received a three-month suspension from tennis, which saw him miss the first four Masters 1000 tournaments of the year in Indian Wells, Miami, Monte-Carlo, and Madrid.
He’ll return to action at his home Italian Open in Rome, where he’ll compete as the number one seed.
Sinner will be considered the favorite by many, having not lost a match on the ATP Tour in over 200 days.
Perhaps it will be the man who last scored a victory over Sinner in October 2024, who provides him with his toughest challenge at the Nicola Pietrangeli Stadium.
Carlos Alcaraz was the last player to beat Jannik Sinner at the 2024 China Open
The Italian traveled to China in September 2024, riding an impressive 11-match winning streak, following Sinner’s Cincinnati Open and US Open triumphs.
| Win number | Match | Opponent | Score |
| 1 | 2024 Cincinnati Open – 2R | Alex Michelsen | 6-4, 7-5 |
| – | 2024 Cincinnati Open – 3R | Walkover | N/A |
| 2 | 2024 Cincinnati Open – QF | Andrey Rublev | 4-6, 7-5, 6-4 |
| 3 | 2024 Cincinnati Open – SF | Alexander Zverev | 7-6, 5-7, 7-6 |
| 4 | 2024 Cincinnati Open – F | Frances Tiafoe | 7-6, 6-2 |
| 5 | 2024 US Open – 1R | Mackenzie McDonald | 2-6, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2 |
| 6 | 2024 US Open – 2R | Alex Michelsen | 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 |
| 7 | 2024 US Open – 3R | Christopher O’Connell | 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 |
| 8 | 2024 US Open – 4R | Tommy Paul | 7-6, 7-6, 6-1 |
| 9 | 2024 US Open – QF | Daniil Medvedev | 6-2, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4 |
| 10 | 2024 US Open – SF | Jack Draper | 7-5, 7-6, 6-2 |
| 11 | 2024 US Open – F | Taylor Fritz | 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 |
Extending his winning streak to 15, Sinner advanced to the final of the 2024 China Open, with victories over Nicolas Jarry, Roman Safiullin, Jiri Lehecka, and Yunchaokete Bu.
Standing between Sinner and win number 16 was his biggest rival, Carlos Alcaraz, with whom he’d shared the four Grand Slams in 2024.
- 2024 Australian Open – Won by Jannik Sinner
- 2024 French Open – Won by Carlos Alcaraz
- 2024 Wimbledon – Won by Carlos Alcaraz
- 2024 US Open – Won by Jannik Sinner
Alcaraz hadn’t dropped a set on his run to the final, producing some of his best tennis as he looked to bounce back from his shock defeat in the US Open second round.
The fans in Beijing were treated to some excellent action right from the off as the world number one fought from 0-40 down in his opening service game to prevent his rival from securing an early break.
Alcaraz’s pressure soon overcame him, however, as an unforced error from Sinner at 1-2, 30-40, handed the Spaniard a break.
Sinner was soon gifted a way back into the set when Alcaraz failed to serve things out at 5-3.
Surviving a set point at 5-6, 30-40, Sinner sent things to a tiebreaker, as a thrilling set of tennis went all the way.
Saving two further set points at 4-6 and 5-6 in the tiebreaker, Sinner eventually came through to win the first, 7-6 [8-6].
With the momentum firmly on Sinner’s side, he continued to apply pressure to Alcaraz, taking him to deuce in multiple service games.
Withstanding said pressure, it was Alcaraz who got the sole break of the second set, at 4-4, before serving it out to tie things up at 6-7, 6-4.
Alcaraz then secured an early break in the decider, holding on to that advantage until Sinner broke back at 3-4.
Remaining on level terms until the tiebreaker, fans watching on Diamond Court couldn’t keep their eyes off Sinner and Alcaraz as they produced a tennis masterclass in Beijing.
After three hours and 21 minutes of gruelling action, Alcaraz powered home a monstrous forehand to snap Sinner’s winning streak, taking home the title with a 6-7 [6-8], 6-4, 7-6 [7-3] victory.
Sinner may have been disappointed not to come away with the win, but quickly bounced back, embarking on another lengthy winning run.
Jannik Sinner has won 36 of his last 37 matches on the ATP Tour
Never one to feel sorry for himself, Sinner returned to action at the Shanghai Masters, winning the tournament less than two weeks removed from his defeat to Alcaraz.
Continuing in the same vein of form, the Italian won another three tournaments, outlining his dominance at the top of men’s tennis.
- 2024 Shanghai Masters – Won by Jannik Sinner
- 2024 ATP Finals – Won by Jannik Sinner
- 2024 Davis Cup Finals – Won by Jannik Sinner and Italy
- 2025 Australian Open – Won by Jannik Sinner
Sinner’s win over Zverev in the Melbourne final was his 21st consecutive ATP Tour triumph, as he extended his longest-ever winning streak.
The Italian has now gone 214 days without a defeat, and whilst that number is somewhat inflated by his three-month ban and the tennis off-season, it shouldn’t be underestimated by any means.
Sinner will return in search of a 22nd straight win at the Italian Open, which begins on Monday, May 5.
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