Sinner revealed that he was looked at strangely in the players' locker room and restaurant, and at one point wanted to retire!

Sinner started the year with a high-profile Australian Open victory, winning his third Grand Slam title and further cementing his status as world No. 1. But in an interview on Tuesday, the Italian admitted before returning to Rome (after his three-month ban expired) that he had been in a dark moment before the Australian Open and even considered retiring.

"Yes, I remember before this year's Australian Open, I wasn't in great shape." Speaking to Italian television Rai 1, Sinner said: "In Australia, I don't feel comfortable in the dressing room or in the restaurant, the way the other players look at me has changed, and I don't like that feeling at all. I feel like if tennis life is like this, it's really heavy. I've always been the kind of person who treats tennis as a matter of ease, and I was going to take a break after the Australian Open. ”

"And then things turned out unexpectedly, and while I didn't want it to be that way, it was good for me in that moment from another perspective. Three months is a long time, but that's why I didn't make it to Rotterdam. I need a little time, spend time with my friends, and prioritize those who really love me. ”

At the time, his doping case was still pending. Sinner tested positive for two drug tests in March 2024 and was found to have banned drugs in his body. However, the anti-doping agency eventually accepted his explanation that the substance had accidentally entered Sinner's body through a wound on his physical therapist's hand and acquitted him with a "no fault" verdict. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the ban for at least one year. But in February, Sinner reached an agreement with the authorities to accept a three-month ban, which ended on May 4.

Sinner said it was a very difficult time for him from the time he learned that he had failed two drug tests. He said that it was the people he trusted around him who kept him through. 'We always look at the result, but I didn't really feel what it feels like to be a player during this time on the pitch. "I don't enjoy the game anymore, I have other things on my mind," he said. ”

"Luckily, the people around me helped me a lot and trusted me, and they helped me a lot in those times. I'm talking about my team, my family. I built my own 'bubble' and didn't let anyone else in, which rekindled my desire to continue and re-prepared me for the Grand Slam. I did well in the Grand Slams last year. I wasn't happy on the pitch during that time, but everything turned out to be good. ”

Sinner, who will make his return at homegrown Rome Masters, said he is looking forward to getting back on the field. "I'm in good shape." "Last year was a lot of pressure, but we still achieved incredible results," he said. I got off to a good start this year as well, although something happened later. It was a bit strange at first, there were situations on and off the pitch that I didn't expect, but now I'm slowly getting back to my normal rhythm and training with some of the top players like [Lorenzo] Sonego to test my form. ”

"Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's going down and I don't know why. I really want to get back on the field, I miss the adrenaline rush of the game and I'm glad that those days are finally over. ”

While players like Nadal have publicly expressed belief that Sinner did not deliberately take banned drugs, some have questioned whether he has been treated lightly because of his status as world number one. "Everyone has the right to judge and have their own opinion, but for me, it's important that I know what I've been through." "It was really, really hard, and I don't want any innocent people to go through that." However, we live in a world where everyone can express their opinions, so we can only accept them. ”

Sinner was last seen on a tennis court in Australia in January of this year. His last official bout was on January 26, where he defeated Zverev. Sinner has only played seven games in 2025 and won them all, so it's safe to say that he has been in excellent form whenever he plays.

Of course, that doesn't mean he's going to play well right away when he's back, but there are some signs that it could happen. In Sinner's absence, while Alcaraz had some highlight moments and other players played well, no one played well enough to be admittedly ahead of Sinner.

In fact, the pinnacle tennis we have seen this year is still Sinner's performance at the Australian Open, and there is no comparison. As a result, Sinner should be doing very well when he returns. After all, he wasn't lying on the couch all day during this time. He did take a break for a while, but those who know Sinner know that he must have spent a lot of time training and improving his game. In the past, whenever he was away from the ring for a long time, he always came back with a more complete version of himself.

He's also been photographed training with some tour players recently, such as practicing with Draper not long ago. He's also been preparing on clay, which is a type of court he's very familiar with, where his tennis is very consistent. From a purely tennis perspective, Sinner's form should be fine, and his performances are likely to return to a high level soon, as the consistency he has accumulated over the past year will not be so easy to fade away, especially on clay, which is more "forgiving" than other court types.

Of course, none of this means that his comeback will be easy. There are some historical indications that Sinner may face some challenges at the start of his return, at least not in his first comeback game, the Rome Masters.(Source: Tennis Home Author: Spark)