Navone’s match against Cina was his 20th of the season on clay; for Sinner, it will not only be his first on the surface since playing the semifinals of Roland Garros in June, it will also be his first since February, when he won the Australian Open.
Read more: A complete timeline of Jannik Sinner’s doping case
Sinner’s suspension stemmed from two positive tests for the banned substance Clostebol last spring. Though the International Tennis Integrity Association (ITIA) initially declined to suspend the three-time Grand Slam champion, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the ruling and Sinner ultimately accepted a settlement that required him to sit out the last three months—and miss four Masters 1000 tournaments.
“For me, look, last year was very difficult,” Sinner said in his pre-tournament press conference. “I had a lot of personal pressure, holding everything. I couldn’t talk with many people about what happened. I was in a tough situation at the beginning of the Australian Open. I struggled a lot, so it was nice to take a small break. Three months…but it is what it is. A small break was good. I could feel that I’m not playing for quite a long time.”
