Daniil Medvedev rings alarm bells for the rest of the tour with the upcoming return of Jannik Sinner from three-month doping suspension

Daniil Medvedev played Jannik six times on the ATP tour in 2024, and won only once at the Wimbledon championships.

Daniil Medvedev rings alarm bells for the rest of the tour with the upcoming return of Jannik Sinner from three-month doping suspension

Daniil Medvedev and Jannik Sinner (via X)

Daniil Medvedev has said that Jannik Sinner’s return will be great for the ATP Tour. Sinner is serving a three-month ban after reaching an agreement with WADA in February 2025. The ban ends on May 4, just in time for the Italian Open in Rome.

Sinner was originally cleared by the ITIA in August 2024. They said he was not at fault after testing positive twice for clostebol in March 2024. But WADA challenged the decision and planned to take the case to court. The issue was later settled out of court.

Tennis is an individual sport. Everything happens: injuries, suspensions, and all kinds of stories. Tennis has a very fast pace, but we know Sinner will return soon, in Rome. There are still two Masters 1000 events without him; let’s see how he comes back. I’m sure he will train hard. For now, he’s not here to play in Monte Carlo, and there are other players winning tournaments, but when he returns, it will be tougher for everyone because Jannik always wins many matches. I think his comeback will be fantastic for the ATP circuit.

Daniil Medvedev said in a recent press conference

Sinner has already missed the Indian Wells and Miami Masters. Those events saw surprise winners in Jack Draper and Jakub Mensik. He will also miss Monte Carlo and Madrid before returning to action.

Medvedev, who has struggled against Sinner recently, expects him to be even tougher to beat when he comes back. With Sinner out, Zverev and Alcaraz are the top seeds in Monte Carlo. Medvedev is seeded ninth and will hope to bounce back after some poor results.

Jannik Sinner among the major storylines for the clay season

Jannik Sinner is still serving a three-month ban for doping but stays world No. 1. His top ranking remains due to poor results from his rivals in Indian Wells and Miami. He plans to return in Rome, aiming to win his first home ATP 1000 title. Though the ban affects his training, he will be fresh and motivated.

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

Alexander Zverev has struggled with form lately. He lost to Arthur Fils in Miami, Tallon Griekspoor in Indian Wells, and even a teenage qualifier, Learner Tien, in Mexico. Zverev admitted he’s been playing badly. But clay is his best surface, and he has won titles in Rome and Hamburg recently.

Carlos Alcaraz is still very young, turning 22 next month, yet he already has four Grand Slam titles. Still, he has been inconsistent this season. His serve hasn’t improved much since he was world No. 1 in 2022. He can dominate at times but also lose focus.

On clay, Alcaraz becomes more dangerous. The slower surface helps him return better and set up points. His creativity and variety shine on red dirt. He might not seem unbeatable anymore, but he remains a big threat in the clay season.

Jannik Sinner moves ahead of Gustavo Kuerten

World No.1 Jannik Sinner is likely to stay at the top of the ATP rankings, even though he is serving a three-month ban that ends on May 4. His lead in points is so large that missing tournaments has not hurt his position.

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

The Italian has only played one event in 2025, but it was a big one. He won the Australian Open for the second year in a row. In the final, he dominated Alexander Zverev and showed why he is the best right now.

Both Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz had a chance to catch up during Sinner’s break. But neither played well enough to take advantage. Their results have been below expectations. Sinner has now passed Andy Murray’s record of 41 weeks as world No. 1. On Monday, April 7, he will also pass Gustavo Kuerten’s 43 weeks at the top.