Sinner unexpectedly rehires the coach who got him caught doping

(Dan Tri) - Jannik Sinner has unexpectedly rehired fitness coach Umberto Ferrara, the man who bought spray containing the banned substance clostebol, causing the Italian tennis player to be banned from competing for 3 months.

World number one Jannik Sinner has made significant changes to his coaching team, including reuniting with former fitness coach Umberto Ferrara, after parting ways with Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio ahead of Wimbledon. The move comes amid speculation of internal rifts, particularly over Panichi's leaking of sensitive team information.

Before Wimbledon, Sinner abruptly ended his contract with fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio. Although he went on to win a Grand Slam on grass, the reasons behind the split have come under the spotlight.

Sinner has terminated the contracts of two coaches ahead of Wimbledon (Photo: Getty).

Initially, Sinner claimed that there was no specific reason for the end of the cooperation. However, according to Corriere della Sera , the Italian tennis player was said to be unhappy with some of Panichi's decisions, especially the coach revealing inside information in interviews.

For example, after the Roland Garros final, where Sinner lost to Carlos Alcaraz despite having three championship points, Panichi revealed that the world No. 1 cried for 15 minutes in the locker room, upset by the public's apparent support for Alcaraz, which was deemed a violation of team rules that coaches are only allowed to speak in public with permission.

During his nine-month partnership with Sinner, Panichi was said to have "talked too much". Meanwhile, Badio was seen as the "secondary victim" in this breakup, as he and Panichi came together as a combination. Both were previously members of Novak Djokovic's team.

Despite the speculation, Sinner has dismissed suggestions that there was any underlying reason for the split. When appearing at Wimbledon without Panichi or Badio, he said: "No, there's no big deal. We split up a while ago, but that doesn't affect me. I feel ready to play. I feel free. I feel ready for myself and my team to do the best we can."

"We've had some incredible results with them in the past, so obviously a lot of credit to them," he added. "We've done really well, but I decided to do something different. Like I said, nothing concrete. Nothing crazy. It must be the rumours."

However, Sinner also hinted at the importance of trust in his new team when explaining what he wants from a new fitness trainer and physiotherapist. "I'll also be looking for people who fit in with the other members of the team. Communication is important for the team to work, you have to trust each other. We spend a lot of time together throughout the year, it's important to find the right people," he shared.

Sinner unexpectedly rehired Ferrara (Photo: Getty).

The 23-year-old has now rehired his former fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara. Ferrara left the team following an investigation into Sinner's two failed drug tests last year. Sinner testified that he was exposed to a banned substance after his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, used a spray containing the banned substance clostebol after cutting his finger. Ferrara bought the spray and gave it to Naldi, who then massaged Sinner without wearing gloves.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/sinner-bat-ngo-thue-lai-huan-luyen-vien-khien-anh-dinh-doping-20250801094425250.htm