Jannik Sinner: For months I couldn’t talk with anyone about what happened

Sinner has been talking to the media ahead of his return to the tennis court following a three-month suspension.

Jannik Sinner on Monday opened up on how he has been coping with his three-month doping ban and the 2024 season when he "couldn’t talk with anyone about what happened."

A provisional suspension was applied to Sinner after twice testing positive for a banned substance in March 2024 but as the Italian challenged it successfully, he was able to keep playing for the rest of the year, albeit what had occurred in Indian Wells had to kept a closely guarded secret until an independent tribunal cleared him of any wrongdoing in August 2023.

In February, however, there was another twist to the saga, when Sinner and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA ) entered into a case resolution agreement, in which he received a three-month ban.

"Last year for me was very difficult with all the pressure I had," Sinner told reporters in Rome on the eve of the Italian Open, his first tournament since the Australian Open in January. "For months I couldn’t talk with anyone about what happened. So a small break was good in a way but at the same time now I have to slowly adapt again. I haven’t really followed tennis in these months until Madrid, where I have been back to studying the rivals a bit more."

"It was for me good news there no Grand Slams were included in the ban," Sinner continued. "But at the beginning I didn’t want to reach the agreement with WADA because I knew what happened. Now everything is over and I’m happy about it."

Sinner was keen to play down expectations ahead of his return to the tennis court in Rome, saying his "biggest goal is the French Open in Paris. Here I don’t know if I'll be ready right from the start so let's see what happens in the first match. I'm calm, well rested and I hope things will improve week after week."

"I have low expectations for this tournament, I want to see where my level is."

Will Sinner win the Italian Open?

• Yes, he's still the best player in the world
• No, it's too soon

Talking Tennis' Mario Boccardi said the "mood was good" following Sinner's press conference in the Italian capital. "The vibe was good, Jannik was comfortable, particularly with the Italian media. This is probably the best place for him to return in that sense."