Who is Mariano Navone? Meet the Argentine star set to take on Jannik Sinner in his comeback match
The identity of the player who will take on Jannik Sinner in his comeback match has been revealed and he has avoided a meeting with one of the rising stars of Italian tennis.
Federico Cina, 18, was a potential opponent for Sinner as he makes his comeback from a three-month drug suspension at the ATP 1000 tournament in Rome.
The Italian fans are greeting every practice session and sighting of Sinner as a moment of celebration and he was bizarrely applauded in his pre-tournament press conference by members of the local media.
Sinner has insisted he is not expecting to be at his best right away as he returns to the ATP Tour, with his comments suggesting he is expecting to need time to reach his peak level of performance ahead of the French Open.
“I have to say I have low expectations for this tournament. I’ve been sitting out for so long and I don’t have any feedback on how I’m going to play,” said Sinner.
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“The goal will be Paris. I’m not here to beat anyone but to try to get through the first round and then we’ll see what can happen. It’s difficult for me to start a new tournament and get back to the rhythm.
“But we’re very calm, we’re physically and mentally well, we’re rested, which will pay off at the end of the season too.”
Now the identity of his opening opponent has been confirmed, with youngster Cina losing his first round match against the far more experienced Argentine, Mariano Navone.
A clay court specialist, 24-year-old Navone is currently sitting at No 99 in the ATP Rankings and his highest career ranking was No 24, achieved in June last year.
He has appeared in two ATP Finals, losing in the ATP 500 event in Rio last year against compatriot Sebastian Baez, before he also lost the final of the Romanian Open against Marton Fucsovics in April of last year.
Navone has won six ATP Challenger titles and all of those wins in the second-tier events came on clay and he has had some notable wins during his career.
A victory against Lorenzo Musetti, who has become a top 10 player after a fine run of form, allowed him to secure a win in an ATP Challenger final in Cagliari last year, while he beat another top 10 performer in Holger Rune in Buenos Aires last February.
His tennis idols are 24-time Grand Slam-winning legend Novak Djokovic and former Argentina star David Nalbandian and he will be looking to win only his second match at the Rome Masters after he reached the second round last year.
Navonme has also beaten Felix Auger-Aliassime and the dangerous Francisco Cerundolo on his favoured clay courts and he may be getting Sinner at the perfect moment as he looks to find his form after a long break from the game.
“The guy hasn’t lost a match since October and the only loss he’s taken recently was from WADA,” said former world No 1 Jim Courier, as he summed up Sinner’s hopes in Rome.
“I have no reason to think that his level is not going to be where it needs to be, but he will be vulnerable in the first couple of matches.
“He is managing expectations. You should not expect pure honesty from players in press conferences. They are protecting themselves.
“If he comes out and says I expect to win this tournament, people are going to start taking shots at him and say he is too arrogant.
“He has the worst draw he could possibly get coming back because he is going to be tested from the third round on.”
Sinner will make his comeback to tennis on Saturday, with a partisan Italian crowd certain to cheer each and every winner struck by their returning hero.
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