Roddick eagerly anticipates Sinner’s Rome return, but winning may not come right away

We are more than halfway through Jannik Sinner’s three-month ban from tennis stemming from his positive doping test in 2024, so his comeback is on the horizon. Sinner has already missed two Masters 1000 tournaments in Indian Wells and Miami in advance of being sidelined from another two in Monte-Carlo and Madrid, but he will return in front of the home crowd in Rome. The Internazionali BNL d’Italia is set for May 7-18 at the Foro Italico, which you know is going to be especially raucous for this year’s festivities.

Andy Roddick, the 2003 U.S. Open champion and now a tennis channel analyst and Betway ambassador, recently weighed in with his thoughts on Sinner’s impending comeback.

Rome is the perfect place for Sinner’s return

“His home crowd in Rome is going to go nuts,” Roddick wrote. “With the amount of support and fame that he has in Italy, I’m not sure there could have been a better place for him to come back. He’s played well in Turin and won the ATP Finals there, but he didn’t play Rome last year so they haven’t seen Jannik since he’s become the best player in the world.”

Even though the setting is ideal, Roddick thinks immediate expectations for Sinner should be kept under control. 

“The fact is he’s coming back, but he’ll be coming back on the surface that is probably not his favorite. That doesn’t mean he’s not great on it, but he’s judged against his own shadow and if there’s anything concrete under his feet then he’s dominant. His preparation for [the French Open] will likely be affected. I don’t think you can be out for three months and come back as if nothing has changed. Maybe it’s like riding a bike, but I don’t think playing a normal schedule and not playing for three months are the same.”

Zverev wasting a big opportunity with Sinner on the sidelines

World No. 2 Alexander Zverev has had plenty of opportunities to gain on Sinner for the top spot in the ATP rankings. Since the Italian got suspended, however, Zverev has played five tournaments and has won a grand total of six matches. He lost in the Buenos Aires quarterfinals, the Rio de Janeiro quarterfinals, the Acapulco second round, the Indian Wells second round, and the Miami fourth round.

Sinner, who owns a 3,385-point lead, has 1,000 points coming off the board in Miami, 400 in Monte-Carlo, and 200 in Rome. Zverev, however, will defend 1,000 points in Rome and 1,300 at Roland Garros. Widely considered to be the best current player to have never won a major, the German will almost certainly have to triumph in Paris to have any chance at overtaking Sinner for No. 1.

“I don’t envy his position because it’s now win a slam or bust,” Roddick explained. “It’s almost as if people aren’t concerned about all his (Grand Slam) semifinals. He had two big weeks in Australia, made the final, and people are still only talking about the fact that he hasn’t won a slam. For me, that’s tough, and I relate to it, but I don’t know that he’s too concerned about Sinner. I think he’s probably concerned about getting through his next opponent in Miami.”

Zverev got through two opponents in Miami but then lost to Arthur Fils.

Andreeva on the rise, and it’s just beginning

Mirra Andreeva also lost early in Miami (third round to Amanda Anisimova), but the 2025 campaign has been a much different story for her compared to Zverev. The 17-year-old Russian is 20-4 this season and won back-to-back Premier 1000 titles in Dubai and Indian Wells. She is up to No. 6 in the WTA rankings and third in the 2025 race.

“What impresses me most about Mirra Andreeva is her ability to stand up physically against the best players in the world,” Roddick praised. “I thought that physicality was going to take some time. It’s not easy when you’re trying to beat people as physically dominant as (Aryna) Sabalenka and (Iga) Swiatek and you’re 17.

“I said on our show a month ago that I thought she looks like a future world No. 1 for sure. I don’t like to jump from winning in Dubai to Steffi Graf comparisons – that seems like we’re skipping a couple of years – but just based on how she’s playing, she’s going to be firmly in the conversation to be one of the top couple of players this year. She seems like she’s fluent on all surfaces, she had a great run at Roland Garros last year, and it seems like she’s fine matching up against the top players in the world. Everything points to her being a contender sooner than later.”