Jannik Sinner splits Flavia Pennetta and Laura Golarsa

Anticipation is building for Jannik Sinner’s return to the court. After missing the entire season on American hard courts, he’ll be in the spotlight in Asia, starting with the ATP 500 tournament in Beijing, where he won the title last year with a decisive victory over Learner Tien in the final.

It remains to be seen what condition he’ll be in—a topic that divides Flavia Pennetta and Laura Golarsa, the guest on the latest episode of the Sky Tennis Club show.

“He’ll definitely only return to the court if he’s 100%. He’ll need to test himself, just as Carlos did at this U.S. Open: every day you learn how your body responds. But I believe he’ll only return to the court when he’s completely sure he’s in good shape,” said the beautiful player from Brindisi.

“I believe he’s shown us that he can come back and win right away,” replied Golarsa. “But coming back from an injury isn’t easy. It depends, first of all, on how you’re feeling when you come back. You never know how you’ll react during a match when you return to competition. Then it also depends on your opponents. Alcaraz surprised me in New York, because a wrist or arm injury is something that bothers a player when they make contact with the ball. If the first few matches go well, you can put it behind you. But if you change direction and feel something in your knee, you can’t predict it. They certainly have that leeway in the early rounds that allows them to test their game.”