Tennis world No 1 Jannik Sinner has brought back fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara to his coaching staff, despite Ferrara's central involvement in the doping controversy that resulted in a three-month suspension for the Italian player.
The reappointment comes as a surprising development, given that Ferrara was responsible for buying the healing spray that triggered Sinner's positive tests for a prohibited substance.
Sinner's management confirmed the immediate reinstatement on Wednesday, marking a significant shift in the player's approach to his support team.
The decision represents a notable reversal from the 23-year-old's previous stance, when he severed ties with Ferrara following the doping incident that dominated headlines last year.
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|Tennis world No 1 Jannik Sinner has brought back fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara to his coaching staff, despite Ferrara's central involvement in the doping controversy that resulted in a three-month suspension for the Italian player
The management team released an official statement explaining that the appointment forms part of strategic planning for major tournaments ahead, specifically mentioning the Cincinnati Open and US Open.
"Jannik Sinner has reappointed Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach with immediate effect," the statement read.
The announcement emphasised that the move had been coordinated with Sinner's entire management structure as they prepare for the demanding hard court season.
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|Jannik Sinner previously parted ways with Umberto Ferrara last year
According to the statement, Ferrara's previous contributions to Sinner's rise through the rankings played a key role in the decision to bring him back.
"Umberto has played an important role in Jannik's development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level," the management team stated.
The controversy stemmed from Ferrara's acquisition of Trofodermin in Bologna during February 2024, an easily obtainable wound care product in Italy that contains clostebol, a prohibited anabolic steroid.
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Sinner's positive tests for the substance occurred twice in March 2024, one month after the purchase.
The player's defence centred on contamination through his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi, who had applied the spray Ferrara bought to treat a cut on his own hand.
Naldi subsequently provided massage therapy and foot treatments to Sinner, which the player argued led to the unintentional transfer of the banned substance.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency initially accepted this explanation, determining Sinner had not deliberately used performance-enhancing drugs.
An independent tribunal initially ruled Sinner bore "no fault or negligence" in August last year, but the World Anti-Doping Agency successfully challenged this decision at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The appeal resulted in a three-month suspension for Sinner, though WADA's special counsel Ross Wenzel characterised the case as "a million miles" from intentional doping.
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Shortly after the original ruling, Sinner had dismissed both Ferrara and Naldi, expressing doubts about continuing their professional relationship.
"I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them," Sinner stated at a press conference before last year's US Open.
Since their departure, Sinner has claimed victory in three of the four Grand Slam tournaments, including this year's Wimbledon where he defeated Carlos Alcaraz.