Jannik Sinner Shockingly Parts Ways With His Fitness Coach And Physiotherapist

Jannik Sinner has caused widespread surprise by splitting with the fitness coach and physiotherapist he hired less than a year ago, just days before the 2025 Wimbledon Championships begin.

Sinner hired Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, who used to work with Novak Djokovic, in September of last year after separating from his previous fitness trainer and physiotherapist because of his high-profile doping case.

The three-time Grand Slam champion tested positive for clostebol at the 2024 Indian Wells Open after accidental contamination from massages given to him by his then-physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi.

The clostebol came from a spray provided to Naldi by Umberto Ferrara, Sinner's fitness trainer at that time. In an interview earlier this year, Ferrara blamed Naldi for what happened because he told him to keep the spray away from the ATP world No. 1.

Sinner ultimately served a three-month suspension from February until a few days before the 2025 Italian Open in May. After the story became public in August, he fired Ferrara and Naldi and hired Panichi and Badio as replacements.

The Italian's partnership with Panichi and Badio seemed to be very successful. During his three-month suspension, he worked hard with both men to become fitter and stronger, with the results visible afterward.

Despite suffering a heartbreaking loss against Carlos Alcaraz in the 2025 Roland Garros final after holding three championship points, Sinner stayed strong physically for five hours and 29 minutes. The defeat was not due to his body breaking down.

That makes Panichi and Badio's departures from Sinner's team very surprising. No official reason for the move has yet been provided by anyone linked to him, leaving fans in the dark.

However, Sky Sport Italy expects Sinner's team to make a statement about the news in the next few hours. It will be interesting to discover why the two-time Australian Open champion has made such a drastic move.

Hopefully, the stunning news does not indicate any looming controversy. Sinner went through enough stress to last an entire tennis career during his high-profile doping saga, which repeatedly generated headlines.

The sudden nature of Panichi and Badio's exits from Team Sinner means that the possibility cannot be ruled out. They have great reputations, and it seems likely that only something serious could have led to a split after less than a year.

Dealing with the fallout from this news will not help Sinner's preparations for Wimbledon. He already admitted that playing at the 2025 Halle Open so soon after the loss at Roland Garros was tough, and he needed a break before focusing on the grass court Grand Slam.

However, Sinner has dealt superbly with adversity in the past. The 23-year-old won the 2024 US Open, which began just a few days after the news of his doping case became public for the first time.

He also reached the Italian Open and Roland Garros finals in his first two tournaments after returning from suspension. Sinner has shown he is mentally strong, and those qualities will be needed again after Panichi and Badio's departures.