How Jannik Sinner, the 23-year-old Italian tennis phenom, is getting ready to complete a record-setting return. His temporary doping suspension ends on May 4, and he looks forward to returning to the court. He is laser-focused on the upcoming second Slam of the year — Roland Garros. This big sporting event, the year’s second Grand Slam, starts on May 25. Sinner — who has not played since winning the Australian Open earlier this season — romped not just to victory, but domination. It seems this break from competitive tennis has given him the opportunity to recharge and refocus.
Sinner’s national team captain, Filippo Volandri, had little doubt about the player’s preparedness. “He told me Jannik is extremely motivated, fully focused on upcoming tournaments and mentally calm,” Volandri said. Now just a handful of weeks away from the French Open, Sinner’s physical preparation is reaching another level.
Return to Training and Preparation
Sinner was given medical clearance to return to training on 13 April. This came in addition to a four-year ban he accepted in February after failing two drugs tests. The ban has given him an opportunity he didn’t plan on having this season to reenergize his foray over the next two to three seasons. This week, he upped the ante in his preparations ahead of the debut by training in Monte Carlo. There, he hit with British player Jack Draper, the Indian Wells champion.
Volandri added that Sinner’s physical prep has been custom made for Roland Garros. “It’s a gruelling event with long, best-of-five-set matches,” he added, highlighting the challenges that lie ahead for the young athlete.
Upcoming Competitions
Sinner will make his official return to competitive play at the Rome Masters. This thrilling event comes just three days after his ban from boxing ends. The Rome Masters has not had a match contested since January. Now, it will serve as an important barometer before players jump into the brutal clay-court swing, capped by Roland Garros.
Sinner’s had no luck stacking together an impactful winter pre-season the last few years. Understandably, there’s some fear that his break will have a large effect on how well he plays moving forward. His coach, Simone Vagnozzi, emphasizes the importance of Sinner’s current training regimen, which aims to prepare him for the physical demands of grand slam competition.
Focused on Future Success
As Sinner looks ahead to his return, he’s still very much a work in progress in terms of getting back to being competitive. Those last training sessions have been focused and fiery. He’s clearly getting himself tuned to peak performance just in time for Roland Garros.
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