Tennis star Jannik Sinner ultimately confidently won the first game after his doping lock. The lack of match practice was noticeable to the Italian on Saturday evening (April 10th, 2025).
Sinner won his second round duel of the ATP tournament in Rome against the Argentine Mariano Navone in two sets with 6: 3 and 6: 4. Sinner had skipped the first round of his home tournament.
Sinner: “Special day for me”
“It is a great feeling that I have been waiting for a long time and I am very, very happy to be back now,” said Sinner after his comeback in the space interview: “I need matches and game practice. This is the best training. It could have been better, but the result is secondary. Now I have good feedback and can continue to work with it.”
The Italian fans in particular had shocked the comeback of the superstar after his three -month doping lock. Sinner had been tested twice for the steroid closebol twice in March 2024. The Italian had always contested intentional use of the drug, but accepted a three-month lock in the course of a comparison-the world-anti-doping agency Wada initially called for a lock of one to two years.
A break is enough to win the set
Against Navone, currently number 99 in the world, Sinner appeared concentrated from the start, but had a break ball directly at 1-1. Sinner fended off and increased from then on. The next service Navones grabbed the world ranking list – a break that Sinner could no longer be taken in the course of the set.
Navone pushed himself and held against it. The second sentence was more balanced, Navone played winning strokes and gained self -confidence. Sinner, on the other hand, made some unchecked mistakes, especially with the forehand the 23-year-old kept failing.
At 1: 2 from Sinner’s point of view, Navone also won a breakball in the second set, but the Argentinian played a simple ball into the net. Sinner caught himself, found the sentence – and struck in the seventh game. After three breaking chances, it was time to play Navone played a ball that was too long and had to give up his serve.
Three breaks in a row – Sinner wobbles
Sinner’s path to victory was paved. Or not? Sinner failed again and allowed the rebreak. But Navone also fluttered the nerves, again the Argentinian could not keep his serve – the renewed Rebreak brought it 5: 4 for the favorite. This time Sinner stayed cool and brought the victory home.
Even if the result sounded confidently in the end – Sinner had its difficulties in the comeback. In particular, the shaky forehand problems, even the first surcharge did not yet come reliably (only 60 % of the first surcharges ended up in the field). This is not surprising with a three -month break, even a certain mental burden can be assumed at Sinner in view of the numerous critical voices for its comparatively glimpse -like doping penalty. The next games will show how well the number one coped with the break.
Next opponent de Jong
In the third round, Sinner of the Dutch Jesper de Jong is waiting. Also the world ranking 93. is not a big challenge for the Italian on paper. In the quarter -finals it could then be against the strong Casper Ruud from Norway (No. 6). Alexander Zverev (Hamburg) or the four-time Grand Slam champion Carlos Alcaraz (Spain) are also at the start in Italy’s capital.