Andy Roddick thinks Jannik Sinner could benefit from 3-month doping ban despite no match practice

Jannik Sinner's three-month ban will lift on May 4 and just a few days afterward, he will be making his comeback at the Italian Open.

Andy Roddick thinks Jannik Sinner could benefit from 3-month doping ban despite no match practice

Jannik Sinner, Andy Roddick (Images via X, T-Online)

Jannik Sinner will surely be rejuvenated after his three-month doping ban. But will the ban affect his performance in a positive way despite the fact that he will be making his comeback at the Italian Open without having match practice?

Andy Roddick thinks the ban could end up benefitting Sinner more. Sinner’s ban lifts on May 4 and he will make his comeback by playing on a surface where he has so far claimed just one title.

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I don’t think you are ever a winner when you get suspended for three months… but will he look back in a year in a half and say you know what, that was decent. I had a pretty hectic schedule, played two majors [this summer], was there a benefit to it? Maybe.

Andy Roddick said on his Served with Andy Roddick podcast

Sinner has so far claimed just the 2022 Umag Open, his first and only title on clay. After Rome, Sinner will land in Hamburg before the French Open where last year, he was defeated by Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals.

What’s going to happen is one of two things. He’s not going to play as well in Rome or the French Open and by the way, it’s not his best surface, so we are going to overreact to whatever the result is for Jannik Sinner when he comes back.

Andy Roddick added

Sinner received the suspension after the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) shockingly reached a case resolution with him and withdrew the appeal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). So far in the season, he has played the Australian Open where he defeated World No.2 Alexander Zverev to defend his title.

Steve Johnson backs Jannik Sinner to win the French Open

Jannik Sinner has never reached the French Open final. It was last year that he progressed to the semifinal for the first time in his career in the clay-court Major.

Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)

The 23-year-old made his main draw debut at the Roland Garros in 2020 when he reached the quarterfinals. Following two appearances in the fourth round and a second-round exit in 2023, Sinner lost a five-set thriller against Carlos Alcaraz last year. Although he has not tasted much success on clay, former ATP pro Steve Johnson has backed the World No.1 to take home the French Open this year.

I like Sinner’s chances to win the French after getting a tournament in Rome under his belt. I think he will win the French and accumulate the most points. He hasn’t missed any time, he has missed tournaments but he could still be practicing every day and it is not like he is just going to pick up a racket for the first time before Rome and walk out there.

Steve Johnson said on the Nothing Major podcast

It certainly would not be easy for the three-time Grand Slam champion to win the title at the French Open in spite of him being the most successful player in recent times. Last year he won eight official trophies, none of which he lifted on the red dirt.

Sinner would also be facing tough competition at the French Open from Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev both of who played the final last year. Alcaraz lifted his first French Open last year and added it to his trophy cabinet consisting of several other clay-court titles.

But both Alcaraz and Zverev are inconsistent so far in the season. The German even suffered an upset in his Monte Carlo Masters opening round. Another player favorite to win the French Open is Casper Ruud as the Norwegian is a two-time finalist in the tournament.