Jannik Sinner makes Novak Djokovic admission as he addresses hiring the Serb’s former team members
Jannik Sinner makes Novak Djokovic admission as he addresses hiring the Serb’s former team members
Jannik Sinner has opened up about recently hiring fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio, who are both former members of Novak Djokovic’s team. The world No 1 revealed he is already “very comfortable” with Panichi and Badio and explained that the fact the duo worked together previously is “a big help.”
Sinner added Panichi and Badio to his team last month to replace physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi and fitness coach Umberto Ferrara, who were involved in his failed anti-doping tests.The Italian tested positive for clostebol, a banned anabolic steroid, during and after the Indian Wells Masters: on March 10 and 18.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) announced in August that Sinner had avoided a ban for failing the tests after an independent tribunal ruled he was not to blame.
The tribunal accepted Sinner’s explanation that the substance had entered his body when receiving a massage from Naldi, who had used a spray containing the steroid to treat a cut on his finger. Ahead of the US Open, Sinner parted ways with both Naldi and Ferrara and declared they had been to blame for the failed tests. “I want to start with [saying] that they have been a huge part of my career,” the 23-year-old said.
“We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success and then having a great team behind me. Now, because of these mistakes, I’m not feeling that confident to continue with them.
The World Anti-Doping Agency has since appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), seeking to impose a ban of up to two years on Sinner. Following his third round victory over Tomas Martin Etcheverry at the Shanghai Masters, Sinner spoke about Panichi and Badio.
“For sure it takes a little bit time to know each other a little bit better. But I feel very comfortable already with them,” Sinner said in his on-court interview. “And we try to improve a couple of things, we try to change a couple of things, which hopefully makes me a better player and also a better person. “So, I’m happy that they started quite early when I made the decision. This means very much to me.”
The two-time Grand Slam champion also admitted he is different to Djokovic despite sharing some similarities with the great Serbian.
“For sure they (Panichi and Badio) have a lot of experience, you know, in working with the world No 1 for so, so many years,” Sinner said in a press conference. “Also together, you know, Marco and Ulises, working together, it’s already a big help, because they know each other very well, which is for me very good, and very important also.
“For sure, they can help me, you know, especially a little bit off the court, trying to see new things and trying where we can improve as a player. They have a lot of experience.
“We have some similarities, me and [Djokovic], but at the end we are still different, so you know, we have to try to adapt our, whatever is best for me, and trying to understand. But this, it takes time. But I’m very happy to have them on my team.” Sinner will face either Roberto Carballes Baena or Ben Shelton in the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters.
