World No. 1 Jannik Sinner made major changes to his support staff in recent weeks, including the surprise dismissal of his coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio just before Wimbledon. Despite the change, the Italian star went on to win the prestigious All England Club title, defeating World No. 2 Carlos Alcaraz in the final. Sinner has now reunited with his former fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara.
At the time of the split, Sinner stated there was “no major reason” behind parting ways with Panichi and Badio. However, Italian outlet Corriere della Sera has now reported that Sinner had grown increasingly uncomfortable with certain decisions made by Panichi, both on and off the court.
One of the trigger points was reportedly Panichi’s decision to leak confidential team information to the media. This included details of Sinner’s emotional reaction after losing to Alcaraz at Roland Garros, where he failed to convert three championship points. Panichi had told the press that Sinner cried for 15 minutes in the locker room and was upset at how fans seemed to favour Alcaraz over him.
Panichi and Badio, both of whom previously worked with Novak Djokovic, came under scrutiny after their dismissal. Panichi, in particular, was seen as a divisive figure in Sinner’s camp, with reports suggesting he frequently defied team rules that restricted public statements without prior clearance.
Sinner hinted at broken trust
Sinner, a four-time Grand Slam champion, initially downplayed speculation about the departures. “Nothing big happened. It’s not affecting me. I feel ready to compete. I feel free. We reached incredible results in the past with them. We did great work, but I decided to try something different. Nothing crazy happened,” he said during Wimbledon.
However, Sinner later admitted that a breakdown in trust led to the overhaul. “Communication is important for the group to function. You have to trust. We spend a lot of time together throughout the year, and it’s important to find the right people,” he explained.
The 23-year-old has since brought back Umberto Ferrara, who had left the team last year following an investigation into Sinner’s two failed doping tests. It was ultimately revealed that the positive results were due to accidental contamination. Sinner’s former physio, Giacomo Naldi, had used a spray containing traces of the banned substance clostebol to treat a cut on his finger. He later massaged Sinner without gloves. The spray had been procured by Ferrara.
