“How beautiful” he wrote Jannik Sinner on the camera at the end of the match against Navone at Internationals of Rome. The return to the field of the world number one after a three-month stoppage agreed with Wada for the Clostebol affair ends as everyone thought it would end: with a victory. Perhaps he was the only one who didn't believe it, having expressed doubts and fears several times before the match after very hard months lived in silence. Sinner hadn't played an official match for 104 days, that is, since January 26, the day he won the Australian Open for the second time in his career, in the final against Zverev.
Against the Argentine Mariano Navone the Italian tennis player has triumphed in two sets, 6-3 6-4. In the stands, for the occasion, there were also mother Siglinde and father Hanspeter, the number 1 of Coni, Giovanni Malagò and that of Fitp, Angelo Binaghi, and Carlos Alcaraz. In addition, obviously, to the thousands of fans who flocked to the center to see their champion play, in an atmosphere that seems more like a football stadium than a tennis match.
And on Monday, in the third round, he will face Dutchman Jesper De Jong.
Sinner: “I found myself again”
"It's a beautiful feeling, I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. I'm happy to be back", the hot words of the South Tyrolean. "It's difficult when you miss the matches, the best training is the match. I'm happy with the victory, Navone is great on clay. I could have done better, but it was a significant day for me. Things can change quickly, I gave everything I had. It's nice to be here, I'm happy to be back".
"I give myself a very high rating, regardless of the result. This was a fundamental day for me, I faced it with the right attitude,” Sinner said, commenting on the match. “I had been waiting for this moment for a long time and it was fantastic here in Rome. I received great affection from the first days, and the cheering during the match supported me even in the difficulties. On the court I was calm, I felt a different emotion. When I passed the third game I felt the match again, I found myself again. And little by little I managed to raise the level. I felt quite good on the court,” said the Italian champion.