Jannik Sinner will return to the court this week after serving a three-month doping ban.
The Italian has been named to compete in a Masters 1000 event in Rome – his first tournament since the Australian Open.
Sinner was found to have traces of clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, in his system last year.
The 23-year-old explained that he received a massage from the physio who had used the substance to tend to a cut on his finger.
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In a statement released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), they accepted that Sinner “did not intend to cheat.”
However, the governing body stated that Sinner still breached the code as “an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence.”
Sinner accepted a three-month ban, which saw him miss events including the Monte Carlo Masters, but not any grand slam tournaments.
The reigning Australian Open champion is pleased to be back on tour despite the “strange” emotions.
“It’s a very strange feeling again, to be around so many people and attention,” Sinner told reporters in Rome this week.
“But it’s nice to be back. Me and my team are very happy.”
Sinner also revealed an unexpected component of his ban, which he described as the “toughest part” of his suspension.
The world No. 1 was not allowed to attend any sanctioned sporting arenas, which meant he couldn’t watch professional sport in the flesh.
As an avid football fan, this proved to be a challenge for Sinner.
“To be honest, for me, the toughest part was that, in the beginning, I couldn’t watch any other sport, really, in real life,” he said.
“I don’t know how many know this, but, for example, watching a simple football match in a stadium, I couldn’t go there to watch it.
“I wanted to support my friends in cycling or motor sport – I couldn’t go there. That, for me, was the toughest part.
“All things considered, I tried to make the best out of it, being ready mentally from the point when I started again to play tennis and that’s it.
“I was very glad to also spend some time with my family.”
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After earning a first-round bye due to his seeding, Sinner’s opening match in Rome will be a second-round clash with a yet-to-be-determined opponent.
The match is scheduled for Friday, May 9 (local time).
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