Sinner reunites with coach he sacked in doping scandal
Since the revelation of Sinner's positive tests for the anabolic steroid clostebol, Sinner has constantly maintained his innocence, laying the blame squarely on his team.
Although he quickly dismissed Ferrara and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, after the revelation of his positive tests, Sinner still described the former as an 'excellent coach' on the sidelines of the ATP Finals in Turin in November 2024.
'Jannik Sinner has reappointed Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach with immediate effect,' his new management team Avima announced in a brief statement.
'The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik's management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open.
'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.' Doping authorities accepted that it was accidental and imposed a three-month ban which Sinner served following his victory in the Australian Open in January.
He returned in time for the French Open where he lost an epic final to Carlos Alcaraz before beating the Spaniard in four sets to win his first Wimbledon title earlier this month.
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News.com.au
27 minutes ago
- News.com.au
‘We've been played': Outrage as Jannik Sinner news rocks tennis world
Nick Kyrgios has led a wave of outrage as Jannik Sinner announced controversial high-performance coach Umberto Ferrara has returned to his team. In news that has dropped the jaws of many commentators, Sinner's new management group on Wednesday night announced the fitness coach has been re-hired 12 months after he was cut loose in the middle of the Italian's doping storm. The world number one received a three-month ban agreed with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in February after admitting 'partial responsibility' for team mistakes. Since the revelation of Sinner's positive tests for the anabolic steroid clostebol, Sinner has constantly maintained his innocence, laying the blame squarely on his team. Although he quickly dismissed Ferrara and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi, after the revelation of his positive tests, Sinner still described Ferrara as an 'excellent coach' on the sidelines of the ATP Finals in Turin in November 2024. It has been one drama after another inside Sinner's inner circle. The four-time grand slam champ last month dumped fitness coach Marco Panichi and former physiotherapist Ulises Badio on the eve of Wimbledon without explanation. A quick reminder of last year's events shows why so many have been shocked by Sinner's announcement. The official findings of the controversial doping investigation published by WADA found Ferrara was in possession of the banned substance and was the person who supplied the spray to Naldi to help the physiotherapist treat a cut on his hand. According to WADA's findings, Naldi then massaged Sinner without wearing gloves when traces of the banned substance were still on his skin. Clostebol is an anabolic androgenic steroid (AAS) derivative from testosterone and can be found in Trofodermin, which can be purchased without a prescription in Italy. Ferrara has also refused to accept blame for the scandal, and in April, said Naldi was at fault. Ferrara has yet to justify why he was knowingly carrying the banned substance other than to say it was for personal use. The decision to replace the pair with Ferrara has gone down like a lead balloon. Kyrgios, who has been one of Sinner's biggest critics, posted on X on Thursday morning: 'He got the same doc back. We have been played, ladies and gentlemen'. His post included laughing-out-loud and potato (spud) emojis. Aussie tennis great (and former Australian Open chief executive) Paul McNamee was also blown away. 'Jannik Sinner rehiring Umberta Ferrara has to be up there as one of the most astonishing PR moves in tennis history,' he posted on X. 'You can afford to hire anyone in the world. Why, oh why, Jannik?' Outspoken social media tennis commentator Pavvy G also launched into a rant on X, calling the entire sport 'corrupt'. He responded to Kyrgios' comment by writing: 'He (Sinner) is constantly promoted and protected, and he's lost all sense of reality and has delusions of grandeur. They think they are untouchable, it really does make a mockery of the ITIA (International Tennis Integrity Agency) and WADA for failing to ever sanction Ferrara, who knowingly had a banned performance-enhancing substance in his possession and ironically was Sinner's head of anti-doping control, too. Unbelievable.' He went on to post: 'I wonder if Sinner's PR team have realised what an almighty blunder that he has made yet? Look out for distraction tactics now. They will want to move on from this quickly, but I do fear the move to bring back Ferrara will have so much irreparable damage on the Sinner brand now. 'Even some Sinner fans are shocked that he is bringing back Umberto Ferrara to his team. 'I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Sinner has been badly advised, but I think this is their worst decision yet. Do they think they are untouchable now? 'I think Sinner's team have finally pushed the limits. It's outrageous tbh.' Sinner at the US Open last year said he was not 'feeling that confident to continue with them' when he gave Naldi and Ferrara the sack. Now he has suddenly done a backflip. 'Jannik Sinner has reappointed Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach with immediate effect,' his new management team Avima, announced in a brief statement. 'The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik's management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open. '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.' WADA divided the tennis world in February when doping authorities announced Sinner would serve a three-month doping ban that allowed him to return to the ATP Tour on May 4, well ahead of Roland Garros, which began on May 25. Sinner returned to play Carlos Alcaraz in the French Open final — a match widely regarded as one of the greatest in recent years. Sinner got revenge on Alcaraz in winning the Wimbledon gentlemen's final.
SBS Australia
an hour ago
- SBS Australia
Tour de France Stage 17: Jonathan Milan wins crash-marred sprint
Italy's Jonathan Milan escaped a spectacular pile-up of flying bikes and bodies to win stage 17 of the Tour de France in lashing rain on Wednesday, extending his lead in the sprint points race. Overall leader Tadej Pogacar and his closest rival Jonas Vingegaard (4 minutes 15 seconds behind) finished safely despite a mass fall 800 metres from the finish line at Valence at the foot of the Alps. On the rain-slick roads at Valence once one rider had fallen, his interminable slide across the tarmac sent riders flying like skittles, leaving only 10 to contest the sprint. "It was chaotic but incredible. I was expecting a bit of rain. We placed as best as we could and the guys put me in the best spot just before the fall," said Milan. This was a second stage win for Milan, who won Italy's first stage since 2019 on stage eight. The 24-year-old Lidl Trek rider now has 312 points, and is in a powerful position to win the battle for the green jersey in Paris as Pogacar is second at 240.. Alpine links loom large As the remaining 164 riders embarked from the sleepy Provence village of Bollene, the collective will of the peloton made for a slow approach of the Alps. Billed as a sprinters' stage on an unusually mild day the riders were also spared the 50 kilometres per hour winds that had been forecast. But the rain deprived the stage of a full bunch sprint due to the horrid fall. Italian Jonathan Milan of Lidl-Trek won a sprint finish in the 17th stage of the 2025 Tour de France. Source: AAP / Dirk Waem/Belga/Sipa USA Attention now turns to three massive climbs, culminating with the ascent to the 2304m altitude Col de la Loze on stage 18. Team UAE rider Pogacar seemed unperturbed. "We can't get arrogant, we need to keep it simple and stay quiet," said the 26-year-old. "I'm really looking forward to it. I have been beaten there before but I have good legs and maybe I'll get my revenge," he said. After 10 opening days of rolling terrain in the north and west of France where Pogacar and Vingegaard kept a watchful eye on each other as emerging riders stole the headlines, week two was where the real fight began. The defending champion Pogacar attacked the Dane Vingegaard on the first mountain, smacking over two minutes into him on one climb as things looked grim for the Slovenian's rivals. The following day, on a regular bike on a time-trial, Pogacar whacked another 40 seconds into the Visma star, who took over seven minutes off the Slovenian on the climb of the Col de la Loze in 2023. That ascent is set to conclude Stage 18 of this year's race. Another Slovenian rider Matej Mohoric of Bahrain Victorious said he was confident Pogacar would close out his fourth Tour de France win. "He was born with a machine inside him, and he was born with the brain to use that machine," Mohoric said. The place to watch the 2025 Tour de France — live, free and exclusive — plus the fourth edition of the Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift is right here on the SBS On Demand Hub .
ABC News
2 hours ago
- ABC News
Jonathan Milan wins Tour de France 17th stage, Tadej Pogačar retains yellow jersey
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