Serena Williams' ex-coach gives strong verdict on Jannik Sinner ahead of return from doping ban

Serena Williams' ex-coach Rick Macci lauds Jannik Sinner's mentality as he gears up to make a comeback into tennis after serving his three-month-long doping ban. The World No. 1 is reportedly set to return to the court during the Italian Open that will kick off on May 7, 2025.

Macci, who has coached tennis greats like the Williams sisters, Maria Sharapova, and Andy Roddick, to name a few, has always opined strongly on the latest happenings in the tennis world, with his immense expertise. He gave his verdict on how the 23-year-old has shown great character throughout the duration of his time away from the game.

Through a post made on X (formerly Twitter) on April 17, Thursday, he expressed his delight at seeing Sinner training for a positive comeback during the clay swing, highlighting his mental strength and the ability to play controlled shots that are his strong points.

"What we see with Sinner is a locked in high Peak mental game with very few Valleys. What we see with his Italian Flames off the ground are incredible acute quality angles skidding toward the Alleys. Number one has just begun. @janniksin," he wrote.

The tennis star was spotted earlier training with Jack Draper in preparation for his return, as his doping ban will be lifted on May 4, 2025. Williams, during a recent interview, spoke about how she felt about the Jannik Sinner doping ban.

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“I love the guy, I love this game": Serena Williams on Jannik Sinner

Serena Williams spoke on Jannik Sinner- Source: Getty

Serena Williams candidly spoke during her TIME Magazine interview on Jannik Sinner and how she felt about his doping ban. Owing to her relationship with the sport, the 23-time Grand Slam Champion admitted that she too is a fan of Sinner's style of play and sympathized with him because of his doping ban.

“I love the guy, I love this game. He’s great for the sport,” she said.

Even though she did acknowledge that the game of tennis needs him, she added that if she were in Sinner's place, the consequences would have been graver, highlighting the discrimination that still continues to exist in the sport.

“If I did that, I would have gotten 20 years. Let's be honest. I would have gotten Grand Slams taken away from me,” she added.

However, these comments weren't as well received by the tennis fans and led her to receive backlash online.