Jannik Sinner spotted with Dominic Thiem in Monaco—Training partner for his comeback?

Jannik Sinner met with Dominic Thiem in Monaco while serving his three-month suspension. The world No. 1 completed his first month of suspension this Sunday, forcing him to withdraw from Indian Wells and three other Masters 1000 tournaments.

The 3-time Grand Slam champion caught up with another major winner in Monaco—none other than Dominic Thiem, the 2020 US Open champion who retired in 2024. The Austrian and the Italian, both longtime Monaco residents, have shared a close bond off the court and were seen dining together at a restaurant.

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Sinner, 23, still has a couple of months left before returning to competition after agreeing to a three-month suspension with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The sanction came after WADA appealed the ITIA's initial decision regarding Sinner’s positive doping test, where the Italian was found to have no ‘fault or negligence.’ The appeal could have led to a suspension of one to two years.

To avoid a harsher ban, Sinner reached an agreement with WADA to stay off the courts for three months. This ruled him out of Indian Wells, the Miami Open, the Monte-Carlo Masters—held in his home city—and the Madrid Open.

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Sinner is set to return at the Rome Open, just weeks before the French Open, meaning he won’t miss any Grand Slam events. Furthermore, with Alexander Zverev (No. 2) still trailing behind and Carlos Alcaraz needing to defend a significant number of points, Sinner’s world No. 1 ranking appears safe until his comeback.

His meeting with Thiem quickly sparked speculation on social media, with fans suggesting that the Austrian could be a key figure in helping Sinner prepare for his return. Due to his suspension, Sinner cannot train at ATP, WTA, or ITF facilities or practice with active players—including his girlfriend, Anna Kalinskaya.

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However, Thiem, who recently retired, could be an ideal training partner ahead of the clay season. The Austrian was one of the top clay-court players of his generation, reaching two French Open finals (both losses to Rafael Nadal) and two Madrid Open finals (defeats to Nadal and Zverev).

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