Sinner Doping Ban Deal 'best Choice In Bad Moment'

Jannik Sinner says it was "good news" for him personally not to miss immoderate Grand Slam tournaments during his three-month doping ban.

World number 1 Sinner accepted nan prohibition successful February aft reaching a colony pinch nan World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) complete his two affirmative tests past year.

His prohibition expired astatine midnight connected Sunday, meaning he is capable to compete astatine his location tourney - nan Italian Open - successful Rome this week.

“Of people erstwhile you spell to tribunal it tin spell some ways - thing aliases a lot,” nan 23-year-old told a packed question and reply room astatine nan Foro Italico.

“I didn't want to do it [agree a settlement] successful nan beginning, truthful it was not easy for maine to judge it because I cognize what really happened.

“But sometimes we person to take nan champion successful a very bad moment, and that's what we did.

"For maine personally it's bully news that location are not nan Grand Slams included."

Sinner has a first-round bye successful Rome and will play either Argentina’s world number 99 Mariano Navone aliases 18-year-old Italian wildcard Federico Cina connected Friday aliases Saturday.

Sinner had antecedently been cleared of immoderate wrongdoing by an independent sheet aft testing affirmative for nan banned constituent clostebol successful March 2024.

Wada lodged an entreaty against that determination pinch nan Court of Arbitration for Sport, saying astatine nan clip it was seeking a "period of ineligibility of betwixt 1 and 2 years."

Wada yet entered into negotiations pinch Sinner's ineligible squad having travel to nan conclusion a prohibition of that magnitude would represent an "unduly harsh sanction."

Some players person been captious of nan magnitude and timing of Sinner's ban.

Three-time Grand Slam champion Stan Wawrinka posted he does not "believe successful a cleanable athletics immoderate more" while 2022 Wimbledon runner-up Nick Kyrgios said fairness successful tennis "does not exist".

Sinner’s news convention took spot conscionable aft he had arrived connected tract for nan first time, allowing for small relationship pinch different players.

His answers alternatively focused alternatively connected nan Italian Open, which he considers a "very debased anticipation tournament".

He besides would not beryllium drawn connected if he was amazed neither Alexander Zverev aliases Carlos Alcaraz had overtaken him astatine nan apical of nan world rankings successful his absence.

"I americium happy successful nan position I americium but I would beryllium happy moreover if I'm 3 aliases 4 successful nan world," Sinner said.

"I'm conscionable happy to beryllium backmost present - I'm happy to play again successful beforehand of nan fans, and I person a extremity successful beforehand of my eyes."

Sinner says he did not watch immoderate of nan Masters 1000 events successful Miami and Indian Wells successful March, but was studying immoderate of his rivals during caller TV sum of nan Madrid Open.

Sinner could commencement 'official training activity' from 13 April and had immoderate believe sessions pinch Britain's Jack Draper connected nan Monte Carlo clay to support his oculus in.

During his ban, Sinner was incapable to watch different master athletics successful person. A banned jock whitethorn not "participate successful immoderate capacity" astatine an arena taxable to nan Wada code.

"The toughest portion was that successful nan opening I couldn't watch immoderate different athletics really, successful existent life," Sinner added.

"I don't cognize really galore cognize this but watching a elemental shot lucifer successful a stadium, I couldn't spell location to watch it.

"I wanted to support my friends successful cycling aliases motorsport - I couldn't spell there."

The Italian Open is 1 of nan large clay-court tournaments earlier nan French Open takes spot from 25 May-8 June.