Jannik Sinner‘s former physiotherapist recently opened up about the doping incident that shook the tennis world. Giacomo Naldi joined Sinner’s team in early 2023, and it seemed like a promising partnership. However, things took a dramatic turn after the news of Sinner’s positive tests for clostebol surfaced.
The scandal broke just before the US Open, revealing that Sinner had tested positive twice for the banned substance. Although he was cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), WADA decided to appeal, believing a one-to-two-year ban might be fitting.
Sinner explained how clostebol got into his system, and both ITIA and WADA accepted his account. Yet, WADA felt that some responsibility lay with him. Unfortunately, Naldi and Umberto Ferrara were implicated too. Ferrara had given Naldi an over-the-counter spray for a cut on his finger without knowing it contained clostebol.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🇮🇹 Jannik Sinner | 23 | 15,405 | 33 - 3 |
Team Changes Amidst Controversy:
Naldi used this spray before massaging Sinner without gloves, which led to contamination. As a result of this fiasco, Sinner decided to part ways with Naldi and Ferrara but only after the investigation became public knowledge—a decision some found puzzling.
In their place came Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio from Djokovic’s former team. Fans might wonder if these changes will bring new energy or more drama as Sinner prepares to face Djokovic at the Shanghai Masters final.
At an event for the Open Food Factory Project, Naldi briefly addressed the scandal saying he was doing fine but hoped to share his side of the story someday: “I’m fine. I’m sorry like everyone else… I just hope… I can also tell what happened.”
He also talked about his relationship with Sinner during this turbulent time: “He wrote to me; he was nice like all staff.” Despite receiving harsh comments from others since then, he acknowledged it’s all part of being in such a high-stakes environment.
With an appeal verdict expected next year, Naldi is likely hoping fervently that no ban will be imposed on Sinner—knowing full well what consequences could follow otherwise. Meanwhile, despite everything going on around him since those positive tests became public knowledge earlier this season—Sinner remains focused on finishing strong till year’s end!
What do you think about these developments?
