Rain stops Jannik Sinner in Monte Carlo, expected return at the Rome International

by Massimo Selleri

La pioggia spoils the plans of Jannik Sinner. Since last Sunday, the South Tyrolean tennis player can resume training in centres recognised by the international federation and after Monday's diversion, when the world number one took refuge in the gym, eluding the fans and journalists who were waiting for him on the court, yesterday he went to the Country Club of Montecarlo. The strong disturbance that is falling on the Principality, however, has forced him to postpone his return to the red clay again. The weather forecast says that it will rain in those parts today and that only tomorrow no precipitation is expected, so the wait could be prolonged even further. The disqualification negotiated with the Wada, the world number 1 will celebrate his return to the court on May 9 or 10 at the Rome International. The wait is long, but given the period of inactivity it is not risky to say that we will see the real Sinner only in Paris, when the Roland-Garros will be played from May 19 to June 8.

The plea bargain issue continues to be a topic of discussion and yesterday the former tennis player also expressed her opinion Serena Williams in a long interview on Time. "If I had done it," the former number 1 explained, "I would have been 20 years old. Let's be honest. He has a fantastic personality. He is great for this sport, but the fact remains that if someone else had done it, things would have been different."

It should be remembered, however, that WADA accepted the proposal to stop for three months, believing that in the trial it would not have been so obvious to demonstrate the player's guilt for involuntary contamination.

Turning to tennis played, Paolini passed the first round in the WTA 500 in Stuttgart. The number 6 in the ranking is accompanied by the new coach Marc Lopez and won in her debut against Lys, while today she will face Jule Niemeier in the eighth finals. Things did not go as well for Sara Errani who went out against Fech with the score of 5-7 4-6 7-6 (4). Darderi, on the other hand, qualified for the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 in Munich. The number 47 in the world defeated the Serbian Miomir Kecmanovic and tomorrow in the quarterfinals he will meet the American Ben Shelton (number 15).