‘Needed someone who knew my body better’: Jannik Sinner defends decision to rehire fitness trainer a year after doping scandal

Only days after thwarting Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon 2025 final, Jannik Sinner announced his decision to reunite with Ferrara last month citing key preparations for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

Jannik Sinner has defended his decision to reunite with fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara, a year after the doping scandal. (Reuters)

World No. 1 Jannik Sinner on Friday defended his decision to rehire fitness coach Umberto Ferrara, whom the 23-year-old had fired from his team following two failed dope tests in March 2024.

Only days after thwarting Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon 2025 final, Sinner’s team announced the decision to reunite with Ferrara last month, citing key preparations for the Cincinnati Open and the US Open.

Sinner had tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid, clostebol. He was, however, later cleared by an independent tribunal after he appealed that the failed tests were a result of accidental contamination. The Italian’s version was that his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, had used an over-the-counter spray which contained clostebol to treat a cut on his finger and then gave him a massage, which resulted in transdermal contamination. Sinner was cleared by the tribunal in August last year, but sacked both Naldi and Ferrara, claiming he did not feel “confident to continue” with them after “their mistakes”. He would later serve a three-month ban between February and May after settling the case with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

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Why is Ferrara back, explains Sinner

“It was a different situation. Now everything is different. I felt like, at this point, I needed someone who knew my body better,” Sinner told repoters after thumping Canada’s Felix-Auger Aliassime 6-0, 6-2 in the Cincinnati quarter-finals on Friday.

“We worked together for about two years before this break. His work has brought me a lot of benefits,” he explained.

“We worked on every area of my body: mobility, stability, and even my body’s endurance has improved. I think he did a great job.

In Ferrara and Naldi’s absence, Sinner worked with trainer Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio (a former long-time member of Novak Djokovic’s team), lifting titles at last year’s US Open and this year’s Australian Open, and also reaching the French Open final. However, Sinner conceded that he had better options before him.

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“I also got along well with Marco [Panichi], but maybe he wasn’t the best choice. I’ve always had a good feeling about Umberto,” he added.

Sinner’s record 2025 run

In Cincinnati, Sinner joined an elite group of players this century by achieving 25 consecutive wins on hard courts, a feat previously accomplished only by Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Rafael Nadal. He is also currently on an 11-match winning streak.

Sinner will take on impressive French qualifier Terence Atmane, who has already defeated Flavio Cobolli, Joao Fonseca, Taylor Fritz, and Holger Rune through his way up the tournament.