Sinner makes a solid return from his three-month doping ban by beating Navone

After a wait of more than 100 days, Jannik Sinner still knows how to win a tennis match.

The top-ranked player made a solid return from his three-month doping ban by beating 99th-ranked Mariano Navone 6-3, 6-4 before an adoring home crowd at the Italian Open on Saturday.

It was Sinner's first match since he won his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January. He said it took him all of three games to get his competitive focus back.

"Amazing feeling. I have waited quite long for this moment," Sinner said. "I am very happy to be back."

It did not take long for Sinner to start crushing his groundstrokes on or near the lines. When the Italian broke for 3-1 in the first set, the crowd inside Campo Centrale sang "Ole, ole, ole, Sin-ner, Sin-ner."

The victory extended Sinner's winning streak to 22 matches, dating back to October.

"It went very well at times," he said. "Could be better, yes, but in any case it doesn't matter about the result today. It has been a remarkable day for me."

When Sinner unleashed a backhand approach winner up the line early in the first set – the game in which he eventually broke Navone's serve – one Sinner fan yelled, "Destroy him."

"The crowd was incredible," Sinner said. "They always give me strength to continue even in tough times. So it was a very, very special moment."

His only real lapse came late in the second set when he failed to consolidate a break and dropped his serve. But he broke again in the next game and then served the match out.

Sinner hit twice as many winners as Navone, 21-10; but had more unforced errors, 24-19. He will next face 93rd-ranked Dutch qualifier Jesper De Jong, who beat 25th-seeded Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-0, 6-2.

Swiatek continues to struggle in loss to Collins

Iga Swiatek was dumped out of the Italian Open on Saturday after the reigning Rome champion suffered a shock 6-1, 7-5 defeat at the hands of Danielle Collins.

World No. 2 Swiatek was hunting a fourth title at the Foro Italico but failed to get past the third round of the last major tournament before the French Open following an uncharacteristically bad display against Collins.

Veteran Collins, 31, will now face Elina Svitolina of Ukraine in the last 16 as the world number 35 hunts an unlikely second WTA 1000 title after winning in Miami last year.

"In my mind I was kind of like, well, even though the last couple times we've played she's beaten me, I've played some of my best tennis in those matches. So that gave me confidence," Collins told reporters.

Swiatek's early exit is a major shock as the Pole usually dominates her rivals on clay and has a hugely impressive record in the Italian capital.

The manner of her defeat is another worrying sign ahead of Roland Garros as she was also thrashed in straight sets by Coco Gauff in the semi-finals of the Madrid Open earlier this month.

Swiatek was barely recognizable from the player who has won four French Open titles, being broken four times in the first set and failing to impose herself at all on Collins, against whom she had previously won eight of nine meetings.