Sinner could face teenaged compatriot on return from doping ban

ROME: Italy´s tennis world number one Jannik Sinner´s first opponent on his return from a three month doping ban in the Italian Open could be compatriot Federico Cina.

Sinner has been given a bye into the second round where he awaits the winner of 18-year-old Cina´s match with Argentine Mariano Navone. The three-time Grand Slam champion returns to action this week following the ban, agreed with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) after he twice tested positive for traces of clostebol in March last year.

WADA accepted Sinner did not gain any competitive advantage from the banned substance, and he bore no fault for an accidental contamination. The 23-year-old hasn´t played since retaining his Australian Open title, earlier this year.

He won´t face his big rival Carlos Alcaraz before the final, with world number seven and Madrid Open winner Casper Ruud a potential opponent in the quarter-finals.

World number three Alcaraz withdrew injured from the Madrid tournament and has not yet arrived in Rome. The Spaniard could face Britain´s Jack Draper, beaten by Ruud in the Madrid final, in the last eight.