Navone, Sinner's First Opponent in Rome: "I Hope to Spoil His Comeback a Bit, But It Will Be a Special Match"
Jannik Sinner now knows who he will face on Saturday for his highly anticipated return to competition in Rome after a three-month absence.
His opponent is Mariano Navone, ranked 99th in the world, who defeated Federico Cina on Thursday (6-3, 6-3) to secure a glamorous second-round match. In the mixed zone, the Argentine was asked about his upcoming duel against the world No. 1:
"It’s special to be here and play Jannik on his return. It’s going to be a tough match because he’s an impressive player who has already won multiple Grand Slams. But I have to prepare myself to try and win it.
I hope I can spoil his comeback a little, but it’s definitely going to be a special match (laughs). After three months without competition, he’ll be lacking some rhythm. It won’t be easy for him either. There will be some nerves too. But it’s still a match we both have to play, and it’ll be a real challenge for him to come back here with all this crowd.
Of course, I’d rather play someone who isn’t the world No. 1. But it’s going to be a great experience to face him. I’ve never played against a world No. 1 before. I’ve had some high-level matches, but facing him here in Rome, in his home country, will be one of the biggest matches of my career. I want to see this as a challenge."
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