The dust is still settling on Jannik Sinner’s suspension from tennis and now details have emerged of his comeback plan.

World No 1 Sinner ‘reached a deal’ with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to accept an immediate three-month suspension from tennis after he failed two doping tests for the anabolic steroid clostebol last year.

The 23-year-old Italian, who last month won the Australian Open, is suspended from February 9 until May 4 and will be back in time to play at the second Grand Slam of the year at the French Open.

He could return for the Rome Masters tournament in front of his adoring Italian fans in early May, but there was some confusion over whether he could train ahead of that possible comeback date.

The WADA statement confirming their deal with Sinner highlighted the restrictions the world No 1 will face as he serves is punishment, with ‘official training’ not to be resumed until mid-April.

“Under the terms of the agreement, Mr. Sinner will serve his period of ineligibility from 9 February 2025 to 11:59 pm on 4 May 2025 (which includes a credit for four days previously served by the athlete while he was under a provisional suspension),” read the WADA announcement earlier this month.

“As per the Code Article 10.14.2, Mr. Sinner may return to official training activity from 13 April 2025.”

Sinner is not allowed to practice at tournaments with professional players or at venues linked to national tennis associations.

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There were suggestions that Sinner would train in Dubai during his time away from tennis, but it has now emerged that he will be allowed to train at the Monte Carlo Country Club.

While that is the venue for the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in April, it is a private club that is not linked to a national tennis association and Sinner will be permitted to train on their clay courts.

He is likely to stay in shape with gym work and will then get a chance to work with his full coaching team ahead of his probable return in Rome.

While his absence from upcoming ATP 1000 tournaments at Indian Wells and Miami is a blow for Sinner, this three-month suspension avoids the prospect of a one-year ban that was looming for the three-time Grand Slam champion if he lost his case against WADA at a hearing that was scheduled for mid-April.

Now the tennis world awaits the return of a player likely to still be No 1 in the rankings when he returns, with Sky Sports Tennis presenter Gigi Salmon telling Tennis365 that the Italian has been playing almost perfect tennis in recent months.

“It is hard to see a weakness in Sinner,” Salmon told Tennis365. “He said in Australia that the weakness in his game may be his volleys, but they are not that bad.

“It was a bit like Djokovic in his prime when you might have said his weakness was his overheads, but how many of those would he hit in a match?

“With Sinner, I’m struggling to find a weakness. How do you ruffle him, how do you get under his skin? How do you get him off-balance? The skiing he did has helped his balance, which is just perfection.

“What impressed me most about him last year was that with everything going on was how mentally strong he stayed. It was just ridiculous.

“He will know the punishment he could get and if it is one year, that would be seismic. To continue to play the way he has done with that hanging over him is amazing.”

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