World No 1 Sinner Wins Italian Open Return After Doping Ban

Jannik Sinner, the world No. 1 tennis player, made a strong return from a three-month doping ban by defeating Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4 at the Italian Open in Rome. This was Sinner's first match in over 100 days since winning his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, and the victory extended his winning streak to 22 matches. Despite some controversy surrounding his ban—a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency that allowed him to avoid missing any Grand Slams—Sinner received strong support from the home crowd, who greeted him enthusiastically with chants and signs. The ban stemmed from an accidental contamination by a banned anabolic steroid, a decision that many fellow players felt was too lenient. During the match, Sinner showed little rust, though he faced some challenges, including being broken three times in the second set, but ultimately secured the win in straight sets. He is set to face Jesper de Jong in the next round, with hopes of improving his relatively modest past success at the Rome tournament.