Holger Rune To Start Working With Jannik Sinner's Sacked Fitness Trainer

Tuesday, 22 July 2025 at 21:07

byJordan Reynolds

Holger Rune has moved swiftly to hire the fitness trainer Jannik Sinner split with before the 2025 Wimbledon Championships.

Sinner hired Marco Panichi after the 2024 US Open, a few weeks after firing former fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi from their positions because of their prominent roles in his testing positive for clostebol at the 2024 Indian Wells Open.

The ATP world No. 1 also appointed Ulises Badio at the same time as Panichi. Both men enjoyed successful times with Novak Djokovic, and working with them seemed like an excellent match for Sinner after the controversy of how things ended with Ferrara and Naldi.

Sinner's fitness, something he focused on during his three-month suspension until a few days before May's 2025 Italian Open, visibly improved during his time with Panichi. It seemed like they could form a long-term partnership.

There was widespread shock when Sinner chose to remove Panichi and Badio from his team. The four-time Grand Slam champion did not give a clear reason for the decision, saying he felt it was the right move for him.

Despite that surprising development, Panichi remains a very highly-rated fitness trainer. The Italian has already found a new job after Rune's mother, Aneke, revealed her son would start working with him.

Speaking to BT, Aneke said hiring Panichi was not just about him helping Holger physically, but was also influenced by his experience shaping Grand Slam champions, especially during his long spell with Djokovic.

"We will welcome Marco Panichi to the team. He brings enormous experience – not just in the physical aspect, but everything related to building a grand slam winner. That raises the bar another notch."

Aneke also revealed that Panichi has been a fan of Holger for a significant period. She thinks the way he worked with Djokovic is a model for how her son wants to develop and progress.

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"We know Marco very well and have always had a really good relationship with him. And he has always liked Holger. He is in a special class, so it is a huge capacity to have in the team. The way he works, and the way he worked with Novak Djokovic, is very much the way we see a fitness coach in a team where he will also be active in training."

That announcement from Aneke follows Rune collaborating with eight-time Grand Slam champion Andre Agassi, who had a period coaching Djokovic, for three days in the build-up to the ongoing 2025 Citi Open in Washington.

Whether Rune and Agassi will work together again in the future is uncertain at this point. The three days together were a trial to see if the American could help him and to test their chemistry.

22-year-old Rune has made several coaching changes already during his young career. It will be interesting to observe how long Panichi remains a part of the team. He might defy the trend and become a stable and long-term influence that helps Rune to progress and reach the top.