Jannik Sinner has reappointed the fitness coach he dismissed following his positive doping tests.
Sinner parted company with Umberto Ferrara and physio Giacomo Naldi last summer after it was revealed he had twice failed tests for the steroid clostebol in March.
The Italian’s management announced on Wednesday that Ferrara is returning to his team, saying: “Jannik Sinner has reappointed Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach with immediate effect.
“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.”
Sinner’s explanation that the positive tests were caused by a spray given by Ferrara to Naldi to treat a cut on his hand and then inadvertently transferred to the world number one through massage was accepted by a tribunal.
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The World Anti-Doping Agency appealed against the ruling of no fault or negligence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, but reached a deal ahead of a hearing which saw Sinner serve a three-month suspension earlier this year.
The 23-year-old hired Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, who were long-time members of Novak Djokovic’s team, as replacements for Ferrara and Naldi but surprisingly split from them ahead of Wimbledon, where he went on to win his fourth grand slam title.
Sinner declined to go into the reasons for the change, saying only: “Nothing major happened. I decided to do something different.”
Sky in Italy understand Sinner will return to training on Thursday in Monte-Carlo.
The Italian will not play in Toronto and underwent a pre-season check-up in Juventus on Wednesday.
Sinner is expected to return to action in Cincinnati ahead of the final major of the year at Flushing Meadows.
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