Jannik Sinner's Coach Insists 'He Did Nothing Wrong' Despite Being Suspended
NewsTuesday, 22 April 2025 at 13:33
Simone Vagnozzi, one of Jannik Sinner's two coaches, has issued a strong defense of him, stating that he does not believe his ongoing suspension proves the ATP world No. 1 did anything wrong in his high-profile doping case.
Sinner received a ban from February 9th until May 4th after reaching a case settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) that avoided the matter being decided at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
The Italian's predicament was caused by testing positive twice for clostebol at the 2024 Indian Wells Open after accidental contamination from his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi, who had used a product containing the banned substance, given to him by Sinner's fitness trainer, Umberto Ferrara.
Sinner has consistently stated that he knows he did nothing wrong before the case settlement, but was ultimately persuaded to take WADA's offer to avoid the possibility of receiving a lengthier ban.
Despite accepting WADA's deal, Vagnozzi shares Sinner's view that he did nothing wrong. The coach's words to La Repubblica made it clear that the player and his team's view of his innocence has not changed since the settlement of the case.
"It was a shock. After realising what had happened, I told Jannik we had to keep our heads high. He did nothing wrong — anyone who read the documents knows that."
"I wouldn’t wish this situation on anyone. Tennis is a metaphor for life. It demands the ability to adapt to ever-changing circumstances: the balls, the surfaces, different continents. We had no choice but to accept what came our way and try to make the most of this break."
The messaging from those close to Sinner has been consistent since the case became public. Darren Cahill, the three-time Grand Slam champion's other coach, also repeatedly defended him and believes he is innocent.
Having such a close bond with his team undoubtedly helped him through the ordeal. The closeness is demonstrated by Vagnozzi and the other team members not hesitating to help Sinner manage the suspension.
One consequence of Sinner's suspension has been that he and Carlos Alcaraz have had no opportunity to renew their epic rivalry, which some believe could match the ones Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer had with each other.
Vagnozzi discussed the pair's rivalry in the same interview. He does not know which man will finish with more Grand Slams and thinks a variety of factors determine who is the favorite when they face each other.
"We’ll know when their careers are over and we can count the number of titles won. They are both extraordinary players, but it depends on the surface, the weather, the time of day, the time they go out on the court. The details."
"When I met him, he was a very good player with little tactical vision. Today he has it, he has improved his serve and gets to the net. He still works on some skills, and looks to gain more confidence when he goes to the net."
Sinner's first tournament back after his suspension will be on home soil at the 2025 Italian Open, an appearance that is sure to generate worldwide attention.
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