Sinner considered walking away from tennis during doping controversy

World number one Jannik Sinner, who is about to return to action after a three-month doping ban, thought about walking away from tennis even while successfully defending his Australian Open title, but is coming back with a new mentality.

Sinner accepted a three-month ban in February after a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency, who had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against an independent tribunal's decision in August to clear him.

The Italian had tested positive for anabolic agent clostebol which Sinner said entered his system from a member of his support team through massages and sports therapy.

Sinner won the Australian Open in January, with the WADA case hanging over him, and was asked during an interview with Italian broadcaster RAI on Tuesday whether he had ever considered giving up tennis.

"Yes, yes. I remember before the Australian Open this year, I was not in a very happy moment because there was still that case of doping," Sinner said.

"I didn't feel really comfortable in the locker room, where I ate. It was a bit like some players looked at me differently and I didn't like it at all. And there I said it's heavy to live tennis in this way.

"I didn't feel comfortable and then I said, maybe after Australia, a little bit of free time, in the sense where I take a little break it will do me good."

Sinner was then forced into a break by the ban, but is now back in training for the upcoming Italian Open next month.

"Slowly, I'm getting back into the rhythm of real training with a goal in front of me," Sinner said.

"Sometimes it goes very well, sometimes there is a drop and I don't know why, so I will certainly be very happy to return to the court.

"Especially in Rome, it is a special tournament for me,