WATCH: Jannik Sinner returns to ‘official’ practice after suspension

Oliver Paton
Jannik Sinner at the Italian Open in Rome
Jannik Sinner celebrates a win

Jannik Sinner has been spotted back at ‘official’ practice, sparring alongside British No 1 Jack Draper.

The Italian had been suspended from ‘official training’ since February 9th – with this period ending on April 13th.

It comes after Sinner agreed to a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) just weeks after winning the 2025 Australian Open which outlined that he would also be suspended from competing from February 9th until May 4th.

Such an agreement arrived after the agency sought to appeal an independent tribunal’s decision which found that the three-time Grand Slam champion had ‘no fault or negligence’ for failing two doping tests in March 2024 for small levels of the anabolic steroid clostebol.

The appeal, which was scheduled to be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on April 16-17, was likely to have resulted in Sinner being suspended from the tour for a period of between 12 and 24 months – if successful.

The WADA statement read: “Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from 9 February 2025 to 11:59 pm on 4 May 2025 (which includes a credit for four days previously served by the athlete while he was under a provisional suspension).

“As per the Code Article 10.14.2, Mr. Sinner may return to official training activity from 13 April 2025.”

However, the world No 1 has been able to practice during this suspension – albeit unable to do so with professional players and at courts or clubs which are associated with tennis federations.

Usually, Sinner’s preparations for the clay-court season would involve intense training at the Monte-Carlo Country Club, but – since the venue is associated with both the French and Monegasque federations – he has been unable to do so.

In response to false reporting on social media, the venue released a statement which said: “It is a private club but this does not exempt it from its obligations, namely that of affiliation: Monegasque because it is the tennis club of the Principality, but a club of such size could not have been built on Monegasque territory, and French because it is located on French territory in Roquebrune Cape Martin.”

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Now that the ineligibility period has ended, world No 6 Draper has been spotted training with the world’s best at the scenic Monte-Carlo Country Club in recent videos captured just weeks before the Rome Masters – where Sinner will return to action.

“I’m very well, I rested and I’m happy,” Sinner stated to Sky Sports, nearly two months into his suspension.

“I would have done many different things, obviously, if I could have chosen, I would have played tennis, but I’m fine, and I’m not even thinking about it too much at the moment.

“After we took this decision, it took me a while to find myself again,” stated the three-time Grand Slam champion.

“But I am still here. There is still a bit of time to digest all this, but I can’t wait to be back in Rome.

“It’s a special tournament for me, even though it will also very tough. I’ll be back in a moment in which there will be already a lot of attention on me, and in Rome it’s not easy.”

 

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