Jannik Sinner set to return to tennis as World No.1 despite three-month ban as Alexander Zverev spurns golden opportunity

Alexander Zverev was in pole position to become World No.1 and realise a dream. But that dream won't be reality as Jannik Sinner will return in Rome in a few weeks still as World No.1.

Zverev changed his schedule accordingly after Sinner got banned for three months retrospectively for the use of Clostebol and decided to attack the Golden Swing which proved to be a massive mistake.

Perhaps on paper he thought it was an easy way to make it World No.1 with Zverev being out and out the best player in this swing. But as has been proven time and again, the likes of Sebastian Baez and Francisco Cerundolo have other ideas.

He lost to Cerundolo in Buenos Aires, Comesana in Rio both in the Quarter-Finals. Acapulco put the nail in the coffin as such as he lost to Learner Tien in the Last 16. Albeit that tournament was perhaps marred by the fact that many of the top names albeit unconfirmed for Zverev got food poisoning.

But he still played the Sunshine Double in which he still harboured some semblance of a chance of finishing top. He managed to lose early to both Tallon Griekspoor and Arthur FIls. Monte-Carlo Masters today saw him lose to Matteo Berrettini. Somewhat of an aberration for Zverev.

Also a head scratcher as Sinner will return to the sport in weeks still with a huge margin compared to the rest of the tour with tournaments also suffering in terms of the top names winning. With Sinner gone, Zverev has lost most tournaments early. Alcaraz too hasn't been in great form while Novak Djokovic perhaps in Miami stood out the most.

But still without Sinner there at the top, it has lead to a slew of new winners and still he will be top when it is all said and done.