“It has been amazing to go again on court after such a long time, having a great support also in the last days,” Sinner said as 10,500 people yelled in his support at Campo Centrale. “From the first day I came here, it has been amazing. I was waiting for this moment quite a long time,” he was quoted as saying by BBC.
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“The whole match, even when it seems quite comfortable, it’s a rollercoaster, no? Inside we feel that, especially the beginning of the match having, again, the nerves of serving for the first time, trying to move in the best possible way you can,” he said.
Italians rediscovered love for the player who has ironically become more popular
as the overwhelming majority of Italian tennis fans seem to feel a three-month suspension was harsh and are treating his return as a celebration, BBC wrote.
While Sinner missed his very first serve on rust, the visibly bulked up Sinner quickly won the first set with a single break of serve and some clean, powerful ball striking. His forehand wonbled in he second with 16 unforced errors but with two breaks he wrapped up the win in one hour and 38 minutes.
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Sinner later said, “I was missing the feedback of official matches, which are the best feedbacks we players can get.
At least now I have a bigger picture of what I’m doing well and what I have to improve. The nerves and everything, it has to go again into my body. It was a great start from my point of view of this tournament and of the comeback.”
Sinner next plays world number 93, Jesper de Jong – a lucky loser from qualifying.
The Italian Open is the last Masters 1000 event before the French Open, but Sinner has also entered the Hamburg Open in the week before Roland Garros in case he feels he needs more practice on the clay.
Italy's Jannik Sinner serves against Argentina's Mariano Navone during Italian Open 2025 in Rome. (PHOTO: AP) 
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