Turin, April 5 (LaPresse) – "I didn’t agree with the suspension, but I chose the lesser evil. It could have been worse, with even more injustice." This is what Jannik Sinner said in an interview with Sky Sport regarding his suspension due to the Clostebol case. "The colleagues who spoke badly about me? I am aware that I am innocent," he added. "It was tough, I felt fragile. Now I'm here and I can’t wait to get back on the court." The number one ATP player will return to the field in Rome for the Italian Open.
"Honestly, I felt very calm. The decision to go for the three-month suspension was a very quick one. We accepted it in no time, although I didn’t fully agree. We went back and forth with my lawyer and the people around me. We had to choose the lesser evil, and I believe that was done. It’s a bit unfair what I’m going through, but if we look at things, it could have been much worse, it could have been even more unfair. After we made the decision, it took me a while to get back on track," Sinner continued. "Other things also happened during this time, which weren’t easy for me, but I’m here, and it will take a little more time to process everything. I can’t wait to return to Rome. It’s a special tournament for me, even though, at the same time, it will be very difficult because coming back with so much attention on me won’t be easy." The Italian player admitted that he has "really watched very little tennis" during this period. "I’m not keeping track of much, just a few matches I’m interested in, but nothing else, because the results are something I can’t control. So it’s also pointless to watch at this moment; the competition is so far away that it’s a bit of a different time for my career," he emphasized. "Did I expect my ranking advantage to stay the same? I can’t control how others play. In the end, they’re just points; the ranking is important, but it’s a different time. It’s a time when there’s the new generation, and the ‘new, new’ generation coming up, with other even younger players, and with Nole still making finals or winning tournaments. There’s a lot happening, but I can’t control anything."
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