Jannik Sinner Makes Bold US Open Move With Trainer Involved in Doping Ban Turmoil

Winning Wimbledon this year was perhaps the greatest moment in Jannik Sinner’s entire tennis career. Coming off a three-month ban and the Roland Garros heartbreak, Sinner called his SW19 win against the two-time defending champion a dream. However, while the celebration continues, a painful chapter from the Italian’s past threatens to come back into the spotlight.

Remember when Sinner was going under doping scrutiny last year? Yes, the one for which he faced a three-month ban. Last year, following his doping controversy, Sinner fired his fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, and physiotherapist, Giacomo Maldi, saying, “I am not feeling that confident to continue with them.”

Since then, the world No. 1 went on to hire fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio, who were removed a little early before Wimbledon. And for his SW19 run, Sinner opted to rely on part-time trainers instead. However, in a shocking move, when another slam tournament is just around the corner, Jannik has decided to rejoin forces with his former fitness coach, Ferrara.

According to a report by La Gazzetta dello Sport, Sinner has brought back his fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara “with immediate effect”. Following the massive update, Jannik Sinner’s team shared the major reason behind bringing back Umberto Ferrara. “The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik’s management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and U.S. Open,” reported Reuters on July 23.

The statement added, “Umberto has played an important role in Jannik’s development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level.”

Well, Sinner was found positive twice for the banned substance clostebol. Later, however, the ITIA found out through an independent panel’s investigation that he had “no fault or negligence”. Earlier this year, WADA closed out the case by having Sinner agree to accept a three-month suspension.

Eventually, he made his comeback in May at the Italian Open. The agency had confirmed that he “did not intend to cheat, and that his exposure to clostebol did not provide any performance-enhancing benefit and took place without his knowledge as the result of negligence of members of his entourage.” But the ban was still imposed as, per the Code and by virtue of CAS precedent, “an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence”.

While Ferrara has made a return to Sinner’s camp, there’s no update on Naldi. He was the one who had applied an over-the-counter spray, which Ferrera had purchased, on his finger’s wound before giving a massage to the World No.1. The spray apparently contained clostebol, and that’s how it entered Sinner’s system.

When he fired Ferrara and Naldi last year in August, ahead of the 2024 US Open, Sinner mentioned that he had no confidence in them anymore. “They have been a huge part of my career. We worked together for two years. We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me,” reported Sky Sports last August.

Now, it seems he’s revisited his stance, at least in the case of Ferrara. But the question remains: why now? Well, the answer is quite simple to say the least. And with Ferrara back in the camp, it will be intriguing to see who comes in as the new physio ahead of the US Open next month.

As of now, the four-time slam winner’s not going to compete in any event. He recently withdrew from the 1000 Masters event in Toronto. The Italian will resume playing at the Cincinnati Masters to prepare before defending his title in New York. What are your thoughts on Sinner’s shocking move regarding Ferrara? Let us know in the comments below.