The waiting is over for Jannik Sinner as he prepares to return to action after a three-month drug ban, with his Italian fans preparing to give their hero a triumphant reception as he returns to tennis.
Images of the world No 1 being lauded in such lavish fashion after a doping ban may not sit well with some observers, but that will not dilute the reception Sinner will receive from his adoring public.
Carlos Alcaraz is also making his return in Rome after missing the Madrid Masters due to injury, with Novak Djokovic a notable absentee as the 24-time Grand Slam champion has opted to sit out a tournament that has always been one of his favourites.
Here are our big Tennis365 predictions for the final ATP Masters 1000 clay court tournament ahead of the French Open:
SAINT OR SINNER?
Jannik Sinner’s every move in Rome will be celebrated by Italian fans who believe he was hard done by after he was handed a three-month suspension following a positive doping test in March 2024.
Some in tennis have an alternative view, as they believe Sinner was responsible for the anabolic steroid entering his system and he was fortunate to escape with such a light punishment.
That story now needs to be banished to the history books and Sinner is returning to a tennis landscape that is there for him to dominate once again.
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Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic have all had some challenges during Sinner’s time away from the game and his dominance at the top of the ATP Rankings highlights why expectations around the No 1 player in the world are so huge as he returns to action.
Verdict: Sinner may have been away from the game for three months, but he returns as favourite to win the Rome Masters and if he is at his best, he will get the job done.
ZVEREV’S WOES CONTINUE
Alexander Zverev must have been hoping his ATP 500 title in Munich last month would kick-start his troubled season, but the uncertainty that has undermined his ambitions since Sinner hammered him in the Australian Open final was in evidence once again as he lost against Francisco Cerundolo at the Madrid Masters.
Zverev’s serve has not been firing as he would have wanted in recent months and his tendency to his his forehand long is a recurring theme when his opponents get on top of him.
The German is defending champion in Rome and that will add to the pressure on Zverev as the 1,000 points he is defending will drop off his rankings total and he needs to retain his title to have any chance of stopping Alcaraz overtaking him as the world No 2 heading into the French Open.
Verdict: Stefanos Tsitsipas and Jiri Lehecka are lurking in Zverev’s section of the draw and his uncertainty will be tested. He should reach the quarter-finals, but is not in the form to win.
ALCARAZ’S BIG GAMBLE
Carlos Alcaraz appeared to cast doubt over his hopes of playing in Rome when he pulled out of the Madrid Masters, but he has arrived at the Foro Italico to play in what will be his final warm-up event ahead of the defence of his French Open crown.
Alcaraz’s opening match in Rome will be a big test of his fitness and if he has any recurring fitness issues, don’t be surprised to see him withdraw from the tournaments as his Roland Garros defence has to be the priority.
Alcaraz is up to No 2 in the live ATP Rankings and a couple of wins in Rome will cement that position ahead of the second Grand Slam of the season, but it might be asking too much to expect the Spaniard to win in Rome when he is edging his way back to full fitness.
Verdict: A run to the quarter-finals would be welcome for Alcaraz as he looks to test his body, but he does not need to many gruelling matches in Rome.
LOOK OUT FOR
Casper Ruud’s win at the Madrid Masters may have been a significant moment in this year’s clay court season.
The Norwegian has long been one of the most threatening players on this surface, but he has come up short in the biggest events when he has reached the later stages.
Now that he has a Masters 1000 title on his record, the confidence will flow and he could be a threat in Rome, even though he has a tough draw with Alexander Bublik and Matteo Berrettini in his section of the draw.
This could be another tournament for Brazilian teenager Joao Fonseca to shine.
He has a potential match against a woefully out-of-form Andrey Rublev on his horizon in the second round and could also face a blockbuster showdown with Miami Open champion Jakub Mensic.
Verdict: Fonseca is good enough to come through his tough early matches if he is at his best and he could break into top 50 of the ATP Rankings if he has a good run in Rome.
READ NEXT: ATP Italian Open draw: Sinner handed tough pathway in comeback tournament, Alcaraz in Zverev’s half
The post Jannik Sinner’s perfect Rome comeback, rankings collapse for Alexander Zverev – Rome Masters predictions appeared first on Tennis365.
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