Jannik Sinner returns from doping ban to big fanfare at Italian Open

Rome – Rarely an athlete was greeted by a doping ban with so many fanfare.

The high-ranking tennis player Jannik Sinner was dealt with for his first training session at the Italian Open on Monday in a stadium with almost 5,000 fans-at which his three-month exile out of sport.

The training session – which was shown live on local television – came after Sinner was the most famous player in a ceremony to honor the Italian teams who defeated the Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup last year.

Both trophies were present and the Campo Central Crowd exhibited Italy’s national anthem.

It is the first time that Italy had a place # 1 for his home tournament. Nevertheless, sinners could no longer be explained why he attracts so much attention.

“I don’t know. To be honest, I think I’m a simple 23-year-old child. I’m good at playing tennis, but I’m not changing the world,” he said. “I always remember that I come from a small town with 2,000 people. Being here in Rome and playing in front of so many people is a big deal.”

With a implied to choose a new Pope that begins along Wednesday in the Vatican, Siner’s return arranged local headlines that explained “Habemus sinners” – a variant of the Latin words “Habemus papam!” This is announced from the balcony of the St. Peter Basilica when a Pope is elected.

The scene at the Foro Italico was in a sharp contrast, as Sünner felt in February when he received a three-month ban on a settlement with the world’s anti-doping agency.

“At the beginning I was a bit confused because I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do,” said Sinner. “Then I went home and stayed with my family. I tried to understand what was really important to me.

“I know how many sacrifices I made and my daily routine always practice, practice, practice. But at that moment I didn’t have anything.

In addition to his family in the German-speaking Alto-Adige region of northern Italy, Sünner also spent more time with friends at home in Monaco, took part in other sports such as cycling and then only gradually returned to tennis.

“We left for about a month without touching (a racket) and then we started again very quietly,” said Sinner. “When we started to push more, blisters developed in my hands. It was something that I hadn’t experienced for a long time.”

The agreement was reached after the WADA was lodged by the international tennis agency against a decision last year to relieve the sinner completely for accidental contamination of a forbidden anabolic steroid in March 2024.

The settlement asked questions because sinners made it comfortable not to miss Grand slams and return to his home tournament.

The Italian Open is the last Big Clay Court event in front of the French Open, which begins on May 25th.

“I didn’t want to do it at the beginning, and it was a little easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened,” said Sinner about the ban. “But sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment and we did. So everything is over. So I’m glad to play tennis again.”

Many professionals believe that sinners have been treated too easily.

Serena Williams told Time Magazine that she had “got 20 years” if she had been involved in a similar case: “Be honest. I would have taken Grand Slams away.”

“I only arrived 45 minutes ago,” said Sinner. “I didn’t see that many (other players). At the moment everything is fine, but I haven’t seen most of them.”

Sinner plays on Saturday. Sinner has not played a game since January when he won his second Australian Open title in a row.

After a goodbye in Rome in Rome, he will play his opening game against Mariano Navone No. 99 or 18-year-old Italian game card Federico Cinà on Saturday.

The last Italian man who won the title Rome was Adriano Panatta in 1976.

“It is generally a very, very low expectation tournament,” said Sünner. “It is again a very strange feeling at the beginning to be together with so many people and attention. But it’s nice to be back.”