Jannik Sinner Reinstates Umberto Ferrara as Fitness Coach
Wimbledon champion Jannik Sinner has made a decision that marks a new course in his preparation. The tennis player has re-hired Umberto Ferrara as his physical trainer, almost a year after dispensing with his services following an investigation related to a doping case. Sinner separated from Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi last year, following an investigation into positive tests for the banned substance Clostebol in March. This reintegration comes after Sinner recently removed fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio from his team. During his Wimbledon victory, the tennis player did not have full-time coaches.No further details were provided regarding the reasons for Ferrara’s re-hiring. Sinner received a three-month suspension in February, in an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency. WADA had appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport against the decision of an independent tribunal in August to exonerate Sinner of any wrongdoing. Sinner, who returned to action in May and lost to Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final before defeating him to win Wimbledon, explained that Clostebol, which can increase muscle mass, entered his system after Naldi applied an over-the-counter spray to a cut on his own hand before performing treatments on Sinner. The aerosol had been provided to Naldi by Ferrara. Sinner was cleared of blame or negligence by the independent tribunal, which accepted that he had been inadvertently contaminated with the substance. Speaking at last year’s US Open, Sinner explained his decision to split with Ferrara and Naldi, stating that “he didn’t feel confident enough to continue with them”. Ferrara, who blamed Naldi for the incident, worked with Matteo Berrettini this year. Sinner will return to action at the Cincinnati Open next month as he prepares to defend his US Open title. He was scheduled to resume training at his base in Monte Carlo this week, after a break following Wimbledon.“The decision has been made in agreement with Jannik’s management team, as part of the ongoing preparations for the upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and the US Open,” stated Sinner’s team. “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.”
