Jannik Sinner is set to return to action next week at his home tournament in Rome.
The world number one took home his third Major title in January, when Sinner beat Alexander Zverev in the final of the Australian Open.
Shortly after, news broke that Sinner had accepted a three-month suspension from tennis, which would see him miss the first four Masters 1000 tournaments of the year.
Photo by Kelly Defina/Getty Images
Luckily for the 23-year-old, the timing of the suspension allows him to return for his home Italian Open, where supporters can welcome Sinner back to action.
As Sinner’s preparation ramps up, one of his closest friends on the ATP Tour has fulfilled a promise he made earlier this year.
Lorenzo Sonego keeps his promise and trains with Jannik Sinner ahead of his return in Rome
When news broke of Sinner’s suspension earlier this year, his Italian teammate, Lorenzo Sonego, told la Repubblica he would be happy to train with him as soon as possible.
“Obviously, Jannik [Sinner] can always count on me,” he said.
“The wait will only increase his desire.”
Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images
Keeping his promise to the world number one, Sonego trained with Sinner in Monte-Carlo recently, sharing a picture on social media.
Sinner and Sonego have played one another five times previously on the ATP Tour, with the former coming out victorious on all five occasions.
Jannik Sinner and Lorenzo Sonego’s head-to-head record
The pair have only played one Grand Slam match against each other, at the US Open two years ago, when Sinner advanced to the third round with a straight-sets win.
Sonego will likely have fonder memories from the 2023 Davis Cup Finals, where he and Sinner helped bring the title home to Italy for the first time since 1976.
After Sinner bravely fought back from the brink to keep the semi-final tie alive with a win against Novak Djokovic in the singles, he and Sonego took on Djokovic and Miomir Kecmanovic in the doubles.
The Italians produced a fine display to book their place in the final of the 2023 Davis Cup, where Matteo Arnaldi and Sinner won their singles matches to clinch the title.
Sinner and Sonego have also played doubles together at several ATP tournaments, but are yet to win a title together.
- 2024 Monte-Carlo Masters – Jannik Sinner/Lorenzo Sonego lost in 1R
- 2024 Indian Wells – Jannik Sinner/Lorenzo Sonego lost in 2R
- 2023 Indian Wells – Jannik Sinner/Lorenzo Sonego lost in 1R
- 2023 Adelaide International – Jannik Sinner/Lorenzo Sonego withdrew ahead of QF
It remains to be seen if the pair choose to team up for a fifth time in 2025, but it’ll certainly be something to keep an eye on.
Is Jannik Sinner the favorite for the 2025 Italian Open?
Having missed three months due to suspension, Sinner will be eager to return with a big win at his home event.
Things haven’t gone too well for him in Rome over the years, however, as the Italian has yet to reach the semi-finals of the Italian Open.
- 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
On his last visit to the Italian capital, Sinner lost to Argentina’s Francisco Cerundolo in the fourth round, having led by a set to love.
Sinner’s 2025 title hopes have been boosted by the shortcomings of some of his biggest rivals.
- Alexander Zverev – Shaky form in 2025
- Carlos Alcaraz – Returning from injury
- Novak Djokovic – Missing the tournament
Six-time champion Djokovic won’t take to the court in Rome, having struggled in his previous two clay-court appearances.
Photo by OSCAR DEL POZO/AFP via Getty Images
Question marks surrounding the fitness of Carlos Alcaraz remain prominent after he skipped the Madrid Open due to injury, and defending champion Alexander Zverev has yet to show any consistent form in 2025.
The path to a maiden Italian Open title looks clearer than ever for Sinner, as he will no doubt be roared on by the crowd in Rome.
Sinner will return to action at the 2025 Italian Open, which begins on Monday, May 5.