(Video) Jannik Sinner makes much-awaited comeback to training in Monte Carlo as he gears up for clay swing after doping ban

Jannik Sinner will be making his comeback at the Italian Open following his three-month doping ban.

(Video) Jannik Sinner makes much-awaited comeback to training in Monte Carlo as he gears up for clay swing after doping ban

Jannik Sinner and his team at the Monte Carlo Country Club (Image via X/The Tennis Channel, Janniksin_Updates)

Jannik Sinner is all set to make his return. In over two weeks, he will be allowed to play the official events as his three-month doping ban ends on May 4.

But before making his comeback, Sinner has to train hard. Without having any match practice, he will be playing on a surface where he has not achieved much. All he so far has been able to win on clay was the 2022 Umag Open.

YouTube video

Tournaments on the clay swing are underway during which, a video surfaced on social media about him. Sinner, who lives in Monte Carlo, could be seen, along with his team members- coach Simone Vagnozzi and fitness trainer Marco Panichi– at the Monte Carlo Country Club to start official training.

Watch the video here:

Unfortunately, Sinner couldn’t practice, for rain made the courts unplayable. As per Sky Sport, Sinner arrived at the club around 10 am and left around lunchtime. .

Sinner will be making an emotional return to tennis in his home tournament in Rome. The Italian Open, which Sinner skipped last year due to an injury, is scheduled to commence on May 7. After the Italian Open, the World No.1 will be playing the Hamburg Open and then the French Open where last year, he fell in five sets to eventual winner Carlos Alcaraz in the semifinals.

Serena Williams makes her feelings known about Jannik Sinner’s doping scandal

Jannik Sinner tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid clostebol in March last year; and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) gave a no-fault or negligence verdict, which sparked widespread backlash. Sinner avoided a lengthy ban with critics arguing that he was given preferential treatment because of his high-profile status.

Serena Williams
Serena Williams (Image via X/We Love Tennis)

Serena Williams echoed the same sentiments. She has no doubt of Sinner being a victim of accidental contamination but thinks had she consumed a banned substance unintentionally, she would have stayed on the sidelines for years.

I love the guy, love this game…He’s great for the sport. I’ve been put down so much, I don’t want to bring anyone down. Men’s tennis needs him. (But) if I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let’s be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me.

Serena Williams told Time Magazine

The 23-time Grand Slam singles champion, who hung up her racket at the 2022 US Open, had been drug tested many times. She even once expressed her disappointment upon knowing that she was tested more than any other players across the tennis tour.

Sinner, so far in the season, has participated in just one tournament. He kickstarted his campaign for the season at the Australian Open where he defended his title by breezing past World No.3 Alexander Zverev.

After winning his third Grand Slam title, Sinner chose not to defend his title at the Rotterdam Open. When he arrived in Doha for the Qatar Open, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that they had reached a settlement agreement with the 23-year-old and withdrew their appeal before the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS).

The WADA initially demanded a ban of between one and two years but upon reaching the case resolution, they imposed on him only a ban of three months. Despite playing only one tournament, Sinner continued to remain on top of the rankings but Carlos Alcaraz, after winning his career’s first Monte Carlo Masters title, dethroned him from the ATP Live Race to Turin rankings.

Sinner will lose more points because he won’t be playing in the Madrid Open. This will give Alcaraz a chance to close the gap in the rankings table.