Jannik Sinner has finally returned to tennis and will play his first tournament since suspension at this year’s Italian Open.
Sinner was suspended from tennis in February after testing positive for clostebol on two separate occasions last year.
The world number one has now served his ban, and will feature at the Italian Open in Rome, the fifth Masters 1000 tournament of the season.
Sinner‘s last match was the Australian Open final, where he emerged victorious against Alexander Zverev in straight sets to win his third grand slam title.
He’ll play his first match back in his home country, and will practice on Monday with Jiri Lehecka, a player he has never lost to.
Photo by Tullio Puglia/Getty ImagesJiri Lehecka announced as Jannik Sinner’s first practice partner since suspension
23-year-old Lehecka will practice with Sinner on Monday ahead of their first matches in Rome.
The two will practice before Sinner will face questions from the media for the first time since being suspended in February.
This will be Sinner’s sixth appearance at the Italian Open, which he has never won.
His best finish came in 2022 when he reached the quarter-finals, before bowing out to Stefanos Tsitsipas in straight sets.
Sinner’s current 21-match winning streak
Despite not playing for three months, Sinner still sits nearly 2000 points clear at the top of the ATP rankings, and still holds an ongoing streak of 21 wins.
The streak dates back to October, where after losing the China Open final to Carlos Alcaraz, the Italian went on to win three high-level tournaments in a row.
After losing to Alcaraz, Sinner won the Shanghai Masters, overcoming Novak Djokovic in the final to hold the trophy aloft.
- Shanghai Masters – Defeated Djokovic in the final 7-6, 6-3
- ATP Finals – Defeated Fritz in the final 6-4, 6-4
- Australian Open – Defeated Zverev in the final 6-3, 7-6, 6-3
He then emerged victorious at the ATP Finals in Turin, where he won the tournament wihtout dropping a set.
In his last tournament before suspension at the Australian Open, Sinner won his third major title in convincing fashion.
Sinner will now look to regain the red-hot form he was in prior to his ban, and build momentum ahead of Roland Garros.