Jannik Sinner Rehires Former Coach as He Prepares for Big Matches
Jannik Sinner has brought back his old fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, as he gears up for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open. This decision was made with input from his management team and marks an important step towards getting back to a stable training routine.
Ferrara, alongside physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi, was let go from Sinner’s team after a doping investigation last year. Sinner had tested positive for clostebol, a banned substance, which was traced to an over-the-counter spray used by Naldi. The issue arose from using a non-sterilized spray bottle that Ferrara had provided, leading to inadvertent contamination when Naldi treated Sinner’s injury.
Fortunately, an independent tribunal concluded that Sinner was not at fault in this situation, accepting that it was an accidental incident. Although he received a three-month ban from WADA, he was allowed to return to the sport earlier this year.
However, the experience left a mark on Sinner. Last August, he expressed that he had lost trust in his team due to the way things were handled. “I’m not feeling confident to continue with them,” he said. “I’ve been struggling a lot lately. All I need now is some clean air.”
Since then, Ferrara has worked with fellow tennis player Matteo Berrettini and has stayed engaged in the tennis community. His return to Sinner’s camp suggests that their relationship has mended and indicates that they can collaborate effectively once more.
Sinner has made a strong comeback this season. After finishing as a runner-up to Carlos Alcaraz at Roland Garros, he defeated Alcaraz to claim his first Wimbledon title earlier this month. With a Grand Slam victory in hand and a fresh sense of momentum, Sinner hopes to maintain his performance as he heads into the US hard-court season, where his best result at the US Open so far was reaching the quarterfinals in 2022.
The return of Ferrara could bring the stability Sinner needs as he looks to build on what has been a breakthrough year for him.
