Top-ranked Jannik Sinner passed a big test in his return from a three-month doping ban, beating accomplished clay-court player Francisco Cerundolo 7-6 (2), 6-3 on Tuesday to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals in Rome.

The 18th-ranked Cerundolo has a tour-best 18 wins on clay this year and was coming off a run to the Madrid Open semifinals.

Also, Cerundolo beat Sinner when they last met on the same court — and in the same round — two years ago.

It’s Sinner’s first tournament since he won his third Grand Slam title at the Australian Open in January and he hasn’t dropped a set in three matches.

“Today I felt that I raised my level,” Sinner said. “It was a very long day. ... But I need this. I’m happy to be back. I was three months out, so every situation for me, I feel very fortunate to be here, very lucky.”

Sinner extended his winning streak to 24 matches, dating back to October, and he said that reaching the quarterfinals was “a great result,” adding that “for the first tournament, I’m very, very happy.”

In February, Sinner agreed to a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency that raised some questions, since the three-month suspension conveniently allowed him not to miss any Grand Slams and come back at his home tournament.

Rome is the last big warmup before the French Open starts on May 25.

The start of the match was delayed for several hours due to rain, turning it into a night match. But ticket-holders for the day session at the Foro Italico hung around to see their home player and serenaded him with chants of “Ole, Ole, Ole; Sin-ner, Sin-ner” at all of the big moments.

A sign in the crowd read, “We are all Sinners.”

Sinner will next face either freshly crowned Madrid champion Casper Ruud or Jaume Munar.

Sinner is attempting to become the first Italian man to win the Rome title since Adriano Panatta in 1976.

In the other half of the draw, Carlos Alcaraz was made to work for a 6-3, 3-6, 7-5 victory over Karen Khachanov that earned him a rematch with Jack Draper — who beat him earlier this year. Alcaraz improved to 5-0 in his career against the 24th-ranked Khachanov.

“Physically I was struggling a little bit,” Alcaraz said. “Not any pain in any part of the body. I was just tired. I had to run a lot. I was really proud the way I fought (for) every ball.”

Alcaraz, who won the Monte Carlo Masters in April, improved to 12-1 on clay this season. The four-time Grand Slam champion will next face No. 5 Draper, who rallied past Corentin Moutet 1-6, 6-4, 6-3.

In the women’s tournament, Jasmine Paolini rallied past Diana Shnaider 6-7 (1), 6-4, 6-2 to become the first Italian woman to reach the semifinals in Rome since her doubles partner, Sara Errani, lost the 2014 final to Serena Williams.

NFL

The Minnesota Vikings get a double dip of international play in 2025 with trips to both Ireland and Britain as the NFL features a record seven overseas kickoffs this season, including forays into Germany and Spain.

The Vikings will play the Pittsburgh Steelers at Croke Park in Dublin on Sept. 28 in Ireland’s first NFL regular season game, and then they’ll fly over to London to face the Cleveland Browns at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a week later on Oct. 5.

“Our experiences in London have always been memorable, so to return in 2025 as the first team to play in back-to-back international games in different countries was something we could not pass up,” Vikings owner Mark Wilf said.

The Vikings are 8-0 in international games, including 4-0 in the regular season. The Vikings and Browns also played in London in 2017, the last time the Vikings were scheduled to visit Cleveland. That means they’re going to go 24 years between trips to Cleveland, with the next one in 2033.

The matchups were revealed on Tuesday by the NFL as part of a series of announcements of notable games on each of the league’s broadcasters ahead of the full schedule release tonight.

The New York Jets released veteran punter Thomas Morstead on Tuesday after two seasons in his second stint with the team.

Morstead, who turned 39 in March, is part of what has been a roster overhaul by new GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn since they were hired in January. Other veterans who have been released this offseason by the Jets include quarterback Aaron Rodgers, wide receiver Davante Adams and linebacker C.J. Mosley.

New York also announced it signed free agent punter Kai Kroeger, who played five seasons at South Carolina.

Baltimore Ravens safety Ar’Darius Washington reportedly tore his Achilles tendon during offseason conditioning.

NFL Network and The Baltimore Sun, both citing unidentified sources, reported Washington’s injury, which could impact the team’s defense this coming season. Washington started from late October on last season, and his presence helped the Ravens’ pass defense turn its season around after a shaky start.

MOTORSPORTS

Team Penske was fastest on opening day of practice for the Indianapolis 500, a day shortened at the front and back end because of weather.

Will Power and two-time defending Indy 500 winner Josef Newgarden went 1-2 in Chevrolets for Penske in Tuesday’s abbreviated session. Cars ran only about three hours, first because of morning rain and then a lightning strike ended the session with about 30 minutes remaining.

Power turned a lap at 227.026 mph around Indianapolis Motor Speedway, while Newgarden went 226.971 mph.

Alex Palou, winner of four of the first five races this season and the current IndyCar points leader, was third fastest for Chip Ganassi Racing. The Honda driver is the two-time reigning IndyCar champion and has won three of the past four series titles. He went 226.673 mph.

He was followed by Ganassi teammate Scott Dixon and then Scott McLaughlin, another Penske driver.

Four-time Indianapolis 500 winner Helio Castroneves, was sixth fastest for Meyer Shank Racing.

Miscellany

Larry Miller, a two-time ACC player of the year for North Carolina and 2022 inductee in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, has died. He was 79.

The UNC athletic department said Miller died Sunday in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. No cause of death was given.

Masters champion Rory McIlroy is heading Down Under for the first time in more than a decade to play the Australian Open on Melbourne’s famed sandbelt courses for the next two years.

Golf Australia said Wednesday that McIlroy, who completed his career Grand Slam with his win at Augusta in April would play on the Royal Melbourne composite course from Dec. 4-7 and at nearby Kingston Heath in 2026.