Jannik Sinner has made his return to the court with the US Open practice after retiring from the Cincinnati final due to illness.
The world No. 1 was spotted practising, giving fans a hopeful update as his head coach, Simone Vagnozzi, accompanied the tennis star.
Following the training session, the coach addressed some concerns about Sinner's health and his performance ahead of the US Open.
When asked how the 24-year-old performed since the virus, Vagnozzi expressed relief and satisfaction, noting, "We are really happy because he needed two days of rest after Cincinnati."
Discussing the practice, the coach shared that the session was just to check the Italian player's condition, as this was the first time he had returned to the court since the finale against Carlos Alcaraz.
Sinner was the defending champion at Cincinnati; however, due to his illness, he was forced to retire early.
During the match, he was trailing 0-5 against Alcaraz when he decided to stop the play, unable to continue competing at his usual level.
His condition also forced him to withdraw from the mixed double, where he was paired with Kateřina Siniaková, citing lingering symptoms of the virus.
Sinner was reportedly suffering from chills, fatigue, and a mild fever, which ended his consecutive finals appearances streak and sparked concerns over his condition for the US Open.
However, Simone Vagnozzi's remarks during the opening practice suggest encouraging news for Jannik Sinner as he gears up to resume full-intensity sessions and aim for his fifth Grand Slam title. He is set to face Vit Kopřiva in the first round on Sunday, August 31.
