Sinner to return at Italian Open; Djokovic withdraws amid skid
Expect Jannik Sinner to return at the Italian Open this week before cheering home fans, who will miss Novak Djokovic amid his losing skid.
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SINNER TO RETURN AT ITALIAN OPEN AFTER 3-MONTH BAN
Expect Sinner to return at the Italian Open after serving out his three-month ban over a doping issue.
Furthermore, the 23-year-old Italian world No.1 received a warm welcome from nearly 5,000 fans who saw his first practice session.
Moreover, his first public appearance in Rome – which was shown live on local TV – spoke volumes of his relevance in Italian sports.
“I’m good at playing tennis, but I’m not changing the world,” Sinner said.
“Being here in Rome and playing in front of so many people is a big deal,” he added.
JANNIK’S RETURN SHARES SPOTLIGHT WITH CONCLAVE SET TO ELECT A NEW POPE
Sinner’s return actually shared the spotlight in Italy, as a new conclave is set to elect a new pope at the Vatican on Wednesday.
Moreover, a headline shown from the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica when a pope is elected reads “Habermus Sinner,” a variant of the Latin words “Habemus Papam!”
Furthermore, the Italian tennis superstar spent his three-month ban trying out another sport like cycling.
“We went about a month without touching [a racket] and then we restarted really softly,” Sinner said.
“When we started pushing more, blisters developed on my hands,” he added.
DJOKOVIC WITHDRAWS AMID THREE-MATCH LOSING STREAK
Djokovic, meanwhile, withdrew from the Italian Open amid his three-match losing streak.
Furthermore, the 37-year-old Serbian world No.5 have lost his opening matches at the Miami Open, Monte Carlo Masters, and Madrid Open.
Moreover, he questioned the reality he’s facing after losing to Matteo Arnaldi, 6-3, 6-4, in Spain last Saturday.
“It’s a completely different feeling from what I had in 20-plus years of professional tennis,” Djokovic said.
“It’s a challenge for me mentally to really face these kinds of sensations on the court,” he added.
