World Number One Jannik Sinner has reinstated Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach, following their previous separation amid an investigation into his positive tests for a banned substance.
Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi left Sinner’s team last August, five months after Sinner tested positive for clostebol on two occasions.
“Umberto has been a significant contributor to Jannik’s development so far, and his return signifies a renewed commitment to consistency and high-level performance,” Sinner’s team stated.
“This decision was made in consultation with Jannik’s management team as part of the ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.”
Sinner was exonerated by an independent tribunal last August, which found no wrongdoing on his part, but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed the ruling, claiming he “bore no fault or negligence.”
In February, the 23-year-old accepted a three-month suspension after settling with WADA.
WADA acknowledged that Sinner did not intend to cheat but held him accountable for “the negligence of his entourage.”
Sinner explained that clostebol entered his system when Naldi applied an over-the-counter spray to treat a cut on his hand.
Ferrara stated he had given the spray to Naldi for personal use and cautioned him against using it on Sinner.
After Ferrara and Naldi’s departure, Sinner hired fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio in September, but he parted ways with them shortly before this year’s Wimbledon.
Sinner returned to competition at the Italian Open in May, lost the French Open final to Carlos Alcaraz in a thrilling five-set match in June, and then defeated him in the Wimbledon final this month, securing his fourth Grand Slam title.
Read also:
- World No.1 Sinner defeats Alcaraz to claim first Wimbledon title
- World No. 1 Sinner defeats Djokovic 6-3, 6-3, 6-4 to reach Wimbledon final against Alcaraz
- Wimbledon Final Showdown: Djokovic vs. Sinner set to thrill, but injury gears raise tension
Sources close to Sinner informed BBC Sport that he believes Ferrara, who has been working with Matteo Berrettini, has learned from past mistakes.
Ferrara holds a degree in pharmaceutical technology and was specifically chosen by Sinner to advise him on anti-doping matters.
The initial independent tribunal found that Ferrara provided the spray to Naldi with a warning, but he was aware it contained a prohibited substance and that Naldi would be treating Sinner directly.
In his defense, as outlined in the tribunal’s decision last August, Sinner’s legal team argued that the responsibility lies not in the severity of Ferrara’s mistake but in Sinner’s choice to appoint him and oversee his actions.
In settling with Sinner, WADA stated that Sinner’s positive test was due to “the negligence of his entourage,” which, according to its code, is a responsibility that falls on the athlete.
Reporters have reached out to Sinner’s representatives to confirm whether Ferrara will once again have responsibilities.
