Jannik Sinner has made the perfect start to his return to competitive tennis, having just reached the Italian Open quarter-finals.
Sinner’s level has impressed Jim Courier, with the former taking part in his first event since coming back from a three-month ban.
The world number one is taking on the ATP Masters 1000 event ahead of the French Open, which gets underway later this month.
Sinner has thanked tennis fans after making his return, which comprised an Italian Open second round win over Mariano Navone.
Since then, Italian star Sinner has knocked out Jesper De Jong and 17th seed Francisco Cerundolo in Rome.
Photo by Silvia Lore/Getty ImagesJannik Sinner ‘hot take’ shared after tennis return at the Italian Open
Sinner triumphed at the Australian Open immediately before his ban, with journalist Jon Wertheim now sharing a ‘hot take’ on the world number one after witnessing his return.
“You want a Sinner hot take?” he said on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast. “When that sanction, when essentially his plea bargain was presented.
“I think a lot of people – us included – said he doesn’t miss a major! This guy wins in Australia and he will serve his 90 days but he is back in time for Roland Garros.
“I think what might be more significant is that his first tournament back was in Rome. He did not play it last year. An Italian player that has won three majors in the interim.
Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
“That was a really warm reception and regardless of how you feel about him and the circumstances of his case, a guy returning from a 90-day anti-doping sanction, there is some stress and pressure.
“Who knows how a crowd anywhere other than your home country will respond to that. I think it is really relevant that he got such a soft landing.
“His practice, before he even played his first match, he got a very warm reception when he went out for his first public practice. I think this is something that we may have overlooked.
“That for a guy who had some potentially really tricky circumstances surrounding his return, the fact he got to do so in such a hospitable place I think is something we should be talking about.”
Andy Roddick warns Jannik Sinner of potential French Open hostility
At just 23 years old, the Italian icon boasts a hugely impressive 19 ATP Tour-level titles in his glittering career so far.
And that includes three Grand Slam titles, two of which have arrived at the Australian Open, with the other coming at the US Open.
He successfully defended his title in Melbourne earlier this season, with Roland Garros next up in the Grand Slam schedule.
But former world number one Andy Roddick has a warning for Sinner for the upcoming French Open, having witnessed just how warm a welcome he received from his home fans in Rome.
Jannik Sinner Grand Slam finals
“I will tell you, as you were talking, all I could think about is Roland Garros and the French Open,” commented Roddick.
“They will boo their mother’s cooking! Whatever the warm and fuzzies are in Rome, you got sideways with the French crowd and they will just boo you!
“To boo someone at a sporting event they have to do something pretty gross, here you catch the ball from the ball kid the wrong way and they will [whistle].
“All of those warm and fuzzies will probably go by the wayside, but it’s good for him to kick the tyres before.”