Daily Times

Jannik Sinner will test his form after a month of illness which culminated in the bronchitis that forced him to skip the Paris Olympics.

The Italian world number one takes to the court to defend the Masters title he won a year ago in Montreal.

Sinner was forced to bypass Paris after focusing his season on the Olympics date, but he will be back in action in the second round here after a bye.

“It has been a little while since my last match, since Wimbledon,” Sinner said on a rainy Monday that wiped out qualifying rounds for the tournament, which starts on Tuesday due to the Olympics. “I’m very excited to be here. Hopefully I can show some good tennis.”

Sinner last competed on July 9, managing to go five sets in the Wimbledon quarter-finals before losing to Daniil Medvedev. The top seed was treated on court for fatigue and had his vital signs measured before soldiering on to defeat. Sinner said he feels ready to get started again: “The body feels good. I got here early to cure the jetlag. “The first practices were easy but now we’re working harder.” Sinner should get a confident start on what he calls his favourite surface. “Hardcourt is my favourite but every situation is different. The ball is flying here quite a lot, you have to feel the ball a bit more. You have to play with a good mindset.” Sinner heads the Montreal field ahead of 2021 Olympic champion Alexander Zverev and third-seeded Daniil Medvedev.