A worried Jannik Sinner admits he has no idea where his level is at as he prepares to return to the tennis court at the Italian Open in Rome.

Jannik Sinner returns to the tennis court in Rome this week (Image: Getty)

Jannik Sinner has warned he has “very, very low expectations” in his first tournament back after his drug ban at the Rome Masters this week. But the world No.1 is aiming to win his third consecutive Grand Slam title at the French Open starting at the end of the month.

The Italian’s three-month suspension for testing positive for a banned substance last year ended on Sunday. And in his first event since winning the Australian Open in January, he will face either Argentine Mariano Navone or teenage Italian wildcard Federico Cina after a first-round bye in the Italian capital.

But Sinner, who was applauded before his packed pre-tournament press conference yesterday, said: “It’s a very, very low expectation tournament in general for me. I don’t know where my level is. That will come back slowly with playing.

“The aim is Paris, I’m not here to beat anyone but to try to get through the first round and then we’ll see what can happen.”

Sinner has previously revealed he considered quitting the sport during his ban – and he said he spent a month without touching a racket after agreeing the ban with the World Anti-Doping Agency.

“I didn’t want to do it in the beginning,” he said. “It was not easy for me to accept it because I know what really happened. But sometimes we have to choose the best in a very bad moment and that is what we did.

“The toughest moment of the suspension was at the beginning. I couldn’t watch any sport in real life. I don’t know how many people know this but even watching a simple football match in a stadium, I couldn’t go there to watch or to support my friends in cycling motorsport. It is all over now so I am happy to play tennis again.”

Sinner, who was dating WTA star Anna Kalinskaya, also announced he is now single despite being photographed with Russian model Lara Leito in Monte Carlo last week.

The Italian smiled: “I saw there is also a lot of attention off the court. I was also very surprised to see some pictures. Nothing serious! I am not in a relationship, whoever says things. So all good!”