Sinner has been a huge doubt for the second Grand Slam of 2024 after pulling out of the Madrid Open with a hip injury, with conflicting reports suggesting it may rule the world No 2 out of action for a substantial period of time.
Yet after undergoing treatment at the medical facility attached to Italian soccer giants Juventus in recent days, Sinner made a tentative return to the clay courts at the Monte Carlo Country Club in recent days and the initial reaction to his injury appears to be positive.
Footage on social media of Sinner hitting balls fuelled hope that the Australian Open champion is on course to play at Roland Garros and now Sinner is expected to arrive in the French capital in the next 24 hours to step up his preparations for the tournament.
Sinner’s eagerness to play in Paris is understandable as his biggest rivals are set to enter the tournament with big question marks hovering over them.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic is struggling to find form and decided to enter this week’s Geneva Open as he strives to find some consistency in his game.
Meanwhile, world No 3 Carlos Alcaraz is struggling with a forearm injury that almost certainly won’t be fully recovered in time for the French Open, even if the Spaniard opts to play the tournament.
The worries for Djokovic and Alcaraz mean Sinner may be viewed as the favourite to win his first French Open if he is fit, yet that reality may not be the best environment for him to make a sensible decision about his next steps.
