First, he can make sure his training team takes the precautions necessary to keep all banned substances out of his system. His two failed tests in March distracted him for months, and may have contributed to his losses at Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
Second, he can focus on his clay-court game. Of Sinner’s eight titles in 2024, none came on dirt. His baseline attack, which gets more relentless by the month, is clearly built for hard courts. But clay will never be foreign to an Italian, and he made the semifinals at Roland Garros last year. There’s no reason, if he’s less distracted, he can’t challenge for that title, or add a clay Masters to his resumé.
Third, Sinner can put together a new game plan for Carlos Alcaraz, who was 3-0 against him in 2024. All three of those matches went the distance, before Alcaraz raised his level at the end. I wouldn’t bet on the often-erratic Spaniard doing that in 2025. Instead, I’d bet on Sinner being extra motivated not to let it happen again.—Steve Tignor
