Jannik Sinner brings back fitness coach and physiotherapist who played a role in doping ban

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner has decided to bring back his former fitness coach Umberto Ferrara, almost a year after they parted ways due to the fallout from Sinner’s positive tests for a banned substance.

Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi left Sinner’s team last August, five months after the Italian tested positive for clostebol. They played a role in the incident, which resulted in Sinner firing both.

Sinner was cleared of intentional wrongdoing by an independent tribunal but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

After that, Sinner accepted a three-month ban following a settlement with WADA, which was negotiated by his lawyers. WADA said the doping incident happened due to negligence and not deliberate cheating.

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Sinner had explained that the banned substance entered his system when Naldi applied a spray to treat a cut on his hand. Ferrara later admitted he had given the spray to Naldi for personal use and specifically told him not to use it on Sinner.

After Ferrara and Naldi left, Sinner brought in fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio in September. But he split with them before Wimbledon this year.

Sinner’s team explains decision to rehire sacked coach

Now, Sinner has reappointed Ferrara and Naldi in a bid to focus on continuity. “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,” Sinner’s team said in a statement Wednesday, July 23.

The move comes as Sinner is preparing for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

Sinner has had an eventful comeback season. He returned to action at the Italian Open in May, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the final. He then lost a thriller to Alcaraz in the French Open final. However, Sinner avenged his defeats by beating Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final to claim his fourth Grand Slam title.