The world No. 1 Jannik Sinner won its first match in Rome on Saturday since the end of its three -month suspension for doping.
The 23-year-old Italian won against Argentinian Mariano Navone, 99th in the world, 6-3, 6-4 in front of the 10,800 spectators of the Central and a whole country awaiting his return to competition.
For his first match since his victory in the Australian Open final on January 26 in Melbourne, the Italian, dressed in black, was never really worried.
He pocketed the first set in 42 minutes. In the second round, more hung, he definitely made the difference in the ninth game on his opponent’s service, before concluding on a winning service.
“I am really happy, I have been waiting for this moment for a long time (…) I gave everything I had, my sensations were rather good,” he said after being acclaimed by the Roman public.
In the 3rd round of the Masters 1000 in Rome, he will be opposed on Monday to the Dutch Jesper in Jong, 93rd in the world and last minute drafted, which swept the Spaniard Alejandro Davidovich (26th) 6-0, 6-2 earlier.
Sinner served a three -month suspension which ended on May 4 and which was the result of an agreement with the World Anti -Doping Agency (AMA) following two positive controls to an anabolic, clostebol, attributed to accidental contamination via its physiotherapist.
This agreement succeeded a certain excitement in the world of tennis and sport, some considering that the Italian, at the top of the world ranking since June 2024, had benefited from preferential treatment.
During his press conference when he arrived in Rome, Sinner revealed on Monday that he did not want “at the start of this agreement”.
“It was not easy for me to accept it, because I know what really happened, but sometimes you have to know how to get the best out of a bad situation,” said the native of Haut-Adige, a German-speaking province in northeast of Italy.
Sinner, 19 titles to his record, including three big horns, assured that he had “very few ambitions” for this recovery tournament which is fighting over on the surface which gives him the most difficulties.
“My goal is Roland-Garros, I’m here to see where I am, to try to pass my first round, not to beat everyone,” he said.
