“I’ve Always Tried to Be Supportive,” Casper Ruud Reacts to Jannik Sinner’s Return from Doping Suspension

Jannik Sinner will open his Italian Open account against either Mariano Navone or Federico Cina in the second-round.

“I’ve Always Tried to Be Supportive,” Casper Ruud Reacts to Jannik Sinner’s Return from Doping Suspension

Jannik Sinner, Casper Ruud (Images via X)

Jannik Sinner is back on the ATP Tour after serving his three-month suspension for doping. The World No.1’s return coincides with the start of the Italian Open, and he’s set to feature at the Masters 1000 event. Casper Ruud, who has sided with Sinner since his ban, has once again voiced his support for the Italian.

In February this year, Sinner reached a case resolution settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for twice testing positive for clostebol in March last year. He agreed to serve a three-month ban from tennis after the anti-doping agency had previously appealed his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS).

WADA acknowledged that Sinner did not intentionally use the banned substance but will be held accountable for the actions of his team. Sinner’s suspension began on February 9 and ended on May 4. He arrived at the Italian Open on May 5. The tournament will be his first since winning the Australian Open in Melbourne.

During an interview ahead of the Italian Open, Ruud revealed that he looks forward to seeing Sinner back in action. The World No.7 added that he expects home fans to cheer him in his opening match on Friday (May 9).

I expect him to be welcomed with a lot of fans and great cheering. I look forward to seeing him when he comes back on the court on Saturday. I haven’t seen him personally yet, but I look forward to seeing him and maybe having a little talk with him. It’s great to see him back. I’ve been open about what I thought about the ban and these things before, so I’ve always tried to stay as supportive as I can.

Casper Ruud said via Sky Sports

Sinner will open his Italian Open campaign in the second round after earning a first-round bye. He will play the first-round winner between Mariano Navone and Federico Cina on Friday (May 9).

Casper Ruud hopes Jannik Sinner will play at a high level at the Italian Open

If there’s any player who has been most supportive of Jannik Sinner since his three-month suspension, it has been Casper Ruud. The Norwegian was the Italian biggest supporter throughout the whole process of the doping case. Ruud revealed that despite Sinner being out of action for months, he hopes the 23-year-old returns to the court playing at a very high level.

Jannik Sinner (9)
Jannik Sinner (Image via ATP/X)

I have talked a lot and I have been very open about what I think about the sanction. I have always tried to give him all the support I could, I have realized that these have been tough moments for him, but I am very happy to see him back. He hasn’t had to deal with any injury throughout this process, so I hope he can be sharp. There is a very high chance that he will return playing at a very high level from the start, I hope he can sign a good tournament in Rome to start this comeback.

Casper Ruud said

Sinner will hope to play his best tennis, even though clay isn’t his best surface. The Italian has not won any clay title since 2022 and failed to reach a final on the surface last year.

Jannik Sinner’s record at the Italian Open

Jannik Sinner kick-starts his comeback to professional tennis at the Italian Open after suspension. But unfortunately for the World No.1, the Italian Open has not been one of his strongest tournaments on the ATP. He has a win percentage of 64.3%, a 9-5 win-loss record, which is his second-lowest win percentage in any of the nine Masters 1000 events.

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

In fact, his best result in Rome was reaching the quarter-finals in 2022 before losing to eventual runners-up Stefanos Tsitsipas. His last appearance was in 2023, when he reached the fourth round but lost to Argentine Francisco Cerundolo. Sinner will face an uphill task as he looks to earn a good run at the tournament with the backing of the home fans.

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