Andy Roddick has weighed in on Jannik Sinner’s shock decision to part ways with two of his team members on the eve of Wimbledon.
It was revealed this week that Sinner had fired both his fitness trainer Marco Panichi and his physiotherapist Ulises Badio just days before the start of the season’s third Grand Slam.
Both Panichi and Badio spent lengthy spells working with tennis legend Novak Djokovic before they joined Sinner’s team in September 2024.
The duo replaced Umberto Ferrara and Giacomo Naldi — who were axed by Sinner due to their roles in the Italian failing two doping tests in March last year.
Sinner, the world No 1, will aim to win his maiden Wimbledon title and fourth Grand Slam in total.
The 23-year-old will face fellow countryman and world No 94 Luca Nardi in his opening match at the grass-court major.
Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast, journalist Jon Wertheim asked Roddick about Sinner’s decision: “What do we make of Sinner firing his trainer and physio on the eve of Wimbledon?
“Especially given sort of greater context there, strikes me as an interesting personnel move as you try to win your first Wimbledon.”
Jannik Sinner explains shock decision to part ways with two team members
Novak Djokovic asked about changes to his team and Jannik Sinner’s shock move
Roddick replied: “That’s a really weird thing to do, yeah. On the eve of Wimbledon, you wouldn’t… had to be something,”
“I don’t know anything, but my guess would be that it has to be something off court, whether it’s financial, whether it’s an argument. This doesn’t feel like what you would do when you’re trying to win your first Wimbledon.
“This also sounds like it could be something that we will never know the answer to, at least publicly.”
Djokovic gave his reaction to Sinner’s move in his pre-Wimbledon press conference.
“I did work with Marco and Uli, and I think they are phenomenal professionals that both have contributed also a lot to me, to my team, to my success,” said the 24-time major winner.
“I don’t know what the reasons are for the split with Jannik. It came as a surprise to me as well because I think Jannik’s game and body really has improved so much in the last year, year and a half. They’ve been an integral part of that team. I don’t know, to be honest. But changes happen.
Sinner was upset by Alexander Bublik in the second round of the Halle Open — where he was the defending champion — in his last match.
This is the only event Sinner has played since his devastating loss to Carlos Alcaraz in a marathon five-set French Open final on June 8.
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The post Jannik Sinner’s Wimbledon team shakeup sparks ‘really weird’ verdict: ‘It has to be something off court’ appeared first on Tennis365.
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