Jannik Sinner, the current World No. 1 in men’s tennis, is making productive use of his three-month suspension, balancing physical fitness with personal interests. The Italian ace agreed to the ban as part of a resolution with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), keeping him off the court until May 4. As a result, he will miss four major ATP Masters 1000 events—Indian Wells, Miami, Monte Carlo, and Madrid.
Staying Active Despite the Suspension
The 23-year-old cannot compete right now, but he has found ways to use his energy elsewhere. Sinner is visiting one of his childhood activities: skiing—going to the slopes in Sexten. Typically, he avoids this sport at this time of year, as he does not ski under the injury-prevention guidelines during the season. He is also said to have taken golf lessons and is reported to practice at the Golf and Country Club in Sudtirol.
But he's not only busy with sports, as Sinner recently made an appearance during Milan Fashion Week-another one of the biggest events in the industry. More than that, Sinner's team of trainers has crafted a specific program in fitness that would ensure that he would train and be ready to compete any time after his ban ends in May.
The doping controversy and the suspension
Sinner's ban follows almost an entire year's worth of controversy regarding two positive tests for the prohibited substance clostebol. Initial punishment: one year. However, after much negotiation by his legal team with WADA to reduce it, they were successful.
Impact on ATP Rankings While on Suspension
During his suspension, Sinner will soon lose huge ATP ranking points. The first loss is already about 500 points after failing to defend his Rotterdam Open title. The subsequent losses will be incurred during the Miami Open, Monte Carlo Masters, and Madrid Open.
All these losses notwithstanding, Sinner is relatively comfortably on top of the ATP rankings at 11,330 points. His closest rival, Alexander Zverev, who comes in as No. 2, needs a minimum of 3,195 points during Sinner's absence to replace him at the top spot. Meanwhile, Carlos Alcaraz has an even bigger mountain to climb by needing more than 3,820 points to surpass Sinner.
Return to Action in May
Sinner will once again train from April 13. Expectedly, he will then resume competitive tennis during the Italian Open, where he will be able to compete at the start of the French Open (Roland Garros), which kicks off on May 25.
The suspension has disrupted his season, and Sinner is still trying to keep himself fit while denting the competition's side for a great comeback.