Jannik Sinner’s ex physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi claims it “hurts” to see Umberto Ferrara returning to the world No 1’s team after both were previously held responsible in the Italian’s doping case.
Four-time Grand Slam champion Sinner announced in a statement on Wednesday that Ferrara would return as the Italian’s fitness trainer, news that shocked many across the tennis world.
The announcement came weeks after the world No 1 had sacked fitness trainer Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio ahead of his ultimately successful Wimbledon campaign.
Panichi and Badio had initially joined Sinner’s entourage late in 2024, after the world No 1 had sacked both Ferrara and Naldi in the aftermath of his drugs test controversy.
Sinner was found to have been of “no fault or negligence” by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) last August, having twice tested positive for the prohibited substance clostebol in March 2024.
Instead, the report placed responsibility on Ferrara, who was reportedly in charge of Sinner’s anti-doping compliance, and Naldi for the two failed tests.
The report stated that Ferrara had given Naldi trofodermin, a spray containing clostebol, to treat a cut on the physio’s hand.
Ferrara had reportedly warned Naldi that the spray contained a prohibited substance, though he was thought to be aware that Naldi usually treated Sinner without using gloves.
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It is then alleged that Naldi massaged Sinner after using the spray on a cut on his own finger, therefore causing the contamination.
The world No 1 revealed days after the investigation cleared him – and was made public – that Ferrara and Naldi had been sacked, saying he could not “continue” working with the two after the “mistakes” made.
Sinner would later serve a three-month ban due to his violation, settling his case with the World Anti-Doping Agency – which had planned to appeal the ITIA’s ruling to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
However, the world No 1 has now rehired Ferrara, less than a year after sacking the fitness trainer who guided him to the top of the ATP Rankings, and to his first major at the 2024 Australian Open.
But there seems to be no possibility of a return for Naldi, who has only spoken publicly on a small number of occasions since the controversy emerged in August 2024.
Speaking to Repubblica this week, Naldi claimed the saga had “damaged” his image in a brief series of comments.
He said: “Here we go again. Now the nightmare begins again, like last summer.
“I have no intention of commenting. It’s a story that has made me too sad; it has damaged my image.
“When the time is right, we’ll talk about everything calmly. I don’t want to ruin this holiday, too. Right now, I just want to be left alone.
“I prefer not to comment. Maybe one day I will, but right now it hurts too much.”
Sinner has yet to publicly comment on the decision to rehire Ferrara, who had worked with Matteo Berrettini after being dropped by the world No 1.
The Italian is set to miss the upcoming Canadian Open but will return to action at the Cincinnati Open, where he is the defending champion.
The 23-year-old defeated Frances Tiafoe in the final last summer, with news of his doping case made public the very next day.
Following on from his Cincinnati Open title defence, the Italian will also look to defend his US Open crown.
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