World No. 1 Jannik Sinner made a victorious and emotional return to competitive tennis with a commanding 6–3, 6–4 win over Argentina’s Mariano Navone in the second round of the Italian Open, marking his first match since serving a three-month doping suspension.
The 23-year-old Italian, who had not played since winning his maiden Australian Open title in January, served a retroactive ban that began in February after testing positive for the anabolic agent clostebol. Authorities accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance entered his body unintentionally via massage treatments from his physiotherapist, allowing for a reduced suspension under a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Back on court and cheered by a passionate home crowd, Sinner spoke of his relief and joy at returning to action.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “I waited quite long for this moment. I’m very happy to be back.”
Despite admitting some rustiness, the three-time Grand Slam champion looked composed, extending his tour-level winning streak to 22 matches.
“It’s very difficult to have the right feedback when you don’t have any matches. The best practice is the match itself,” Sinner explained.
Navone, known for his clay-court resilience, tested Sinner at times—especially when he broke the top seed in the second set—but Sinner regained control to close out the match in straight sets.
“It doesn’t matter about the result today,” Sinner reflected. “It has been a remarkable day for me.”
He added that he was surprised at how well his game held up after the hiatus:
“The sensation felt quite good, to be honest. There were ups and downs, but I tried to accept that and work through it. Now I have some good feedback, and hopefully I can work with that.”
Sinner’s comeback continues in the next round, where he will face Dutch lucky loser Jesper de Jong.
