Sinner rehires his former fitness coach and receives support! Fellow players praise his brave choice, while a renowned coach dismisses doping allegations.

World number one Sinner's decision to bring back the fitness coach Ferrara, who has been involved in doping controversies, has sparked heated discussions. Amid the controversy, Sinner has received public backing from two heavyweight figures in tennis.

Recently, former Italian professional player Nargiso and legendary coach Rick Macci have voiced their support for Sinner's professional choices and integrity in competition.

“Bringing back Ferrara is a risky choice for Sinner, as it may deepen external doubts about doping, but the issue is that Sinner's team cannot be unaware of the potential uproar that this action could cause,” said a professional tennis commentator.

However, former Italian player Nargiso disagreed with this viewpoint in a recent interview, believing that Sinner's decision actually demonstrates his courage and innocence.

“I was very surprised by Umberto's return, but this is a brave choice made by Jannik.” The former professional player stated, “This fully proves his determination—he knows how Umberto works and wants to continue down this proven path of success.”

Nargiso emphasized the deeper significance of Sinner's action: “The initial dismissal was a necessary step rather than an intention. Perhaps there were some oversights within the team, but I know Umberto. He is extremely careful and meticulous, a truly professional individual. Jannik simply hopes that this decision will counter the rumors and controversies spread by some envious people.”

It is worth mentioning that Sinner's team also clarified in the recall announcement that this reorganization aims to “provide stability for the North American hard court season.” Ferrara, who has accompanied Sinner from his youth to becoming the world number one, indeed has gained high recognition within the team for his professional abilities.

Before this year's Wimbledon, Sinner dismissed his fitness coach and physiotherapist, winning the Wimbledon title with only his coach by his side. Therefore, welcoming back a fitness coach he has collaborated with for many years is seen as a strategic choice to stabilize the team. As Nargiso said: “When everyone is questioning him, he chooses to trust his own judgment rather than external noise, which is a quality that champions should possess.”

However, this decision is bound to trigger ripples in public opinion. Nardi, the physiotherapist who was also involved in last year's controversy, recently stated to the media that Ferrara's return is like a “nightmare reappearing” for him, implying that he bears unjust accusations. In response, Nargiso said: “Team adjustments are a norm in competitive sports; professional athletes have the right to choose their most trusted partners.”

In addition to his compatriots, recently, the accomplished coach Rick Macci, who has coached the Williams sisters and Sharapova, also spoke up for Sinner and current world number one Swiatek from a professional technical perspective.

“Ironically, when the media and players are rehashing the doping topic, Swiatek and Sinner have just won titles on the grass at Wimbledon,” Macci sharply pointed out on social media, “Anyone who has played tennis knows that banned substances do not suddenly improve your performance on grass compared to clay.”

The 71-year-old coach, known as the “genius maker,” elaborated further: “Grass tennis requires entirely different technical adjustments—lower ball judgment, more precise serving placement, and faster reaction times. These abilities stem from day-to-day specialized training, not from drugs.”

“However, for professional tennis players, improving muscle endurance and nerve excitability is most crucial; professional tennis often hinges on seemingly trivial details that determine success or failure. Using ‘grass-type performance’ to silence rumors seems a bit narrow-minded,” commented a netizen.

In fact, aside from the doping issue, an excellent fitness coach is already a rarity in professional tennis, considering costs, language barriers, and collaboration expectations. Thus, the options available for selection are not many. For Sinner, bringing back Ferrara comes at a critical time for the reorganization of the technical team ahead of the US Open title defense. With the esteemed coach Darren Cahill confirming his absence from the US Open, Sinner’s coaching team faces another restructuring, and Ferrara's return will strengthen support—this is crucial for Sinner's title defense in the humid conditions of the US Open night matches. However, all of this may seem controversial precisely because he is Sinner and not just any ordinary player. If this were to happen to another “code name,” would it then be viewed merely as a routine team change?

Sinner is set to appear at the Cincinnati Masters on August 12 to begin his US Open title defense journey. When asked about the team changes, the Italian tennis star maintained his usual focus: “My attention is solely on tennis.” Meanwhile, Ferrara has already appeared at the Monte Carlo training base, guiding Sinner in high-intensity fitness preparations. For Sinner, it may only be as Macci said: “When you can consistently win on grass, hard court, and clay, your strength itself is the best proof.”(Source: Tennis Home, Author: Lu Xiaotian)