Jannik Sinner parts way with team members ahead of US Open after positive doping tests
World. No. 1 tennis player Jannik Sinner has made some changes to his team following a doping saga that began when he tested positive for a banned anabolic steroid twice in March.
Sinner confirmed that he parted ways with his fitness coach Umberto Ferrara and his physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi on Friday in his first press conference since the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITA) announced Tuesday that Sinner bears "No Fault or Negligence" for the two positive doping tests. The ITA said scientific experts deemed Sinner's claim that Clostebol entered his system "as a result of contamination from a support team member" as credible.
Despite the success he's had with Ferrara and Naldi over the past two seasons, including his first major win at the Australian Open earlier this year, Sinner said he's looking for a fresh start in light of the ITA ruling.
"Because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident to continue with them," Sinner told reporters on Friday ahead of the U.S. Open. "The only thing I just need right now, just some clean air. You know, I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air."
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One day after winning the Cincinnati Open, the ITA announced Tuesday that Sinner tested positive for Clostebol, an anabolic steroid banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency, in a test at the BNP Paribas Open on March 10 and an out-of-competition test conducted March 18. Sinner was provisionally suspended after the positive test results but continued to play on tour after a successful appeal.
Sinner claimed that a support team member regularly applied an over-the-counter spray containing Clostebol to treat their own wound in March before giving Sinner daily massages and sports therapy, "resulting in unknowing transdermal contamination. " Following an investigation, the ITA accepted Sinner's explanation and determined that the "violation was not intentional." Sinner was stripped of prize money and points earned at the tournament in Indian Wells, California, but he avoided a doping suspension.
On Friday, Sinner said its a "relief" to have received the ruling: "It's not ideal before a Grand Slam but in my mind I know that I haven't done anything wrong. I had to play already months with this in my head... I always respected the rules and I always will respect the rules for anti-doping."
Sinner noted that a minute amount of Clostebol was found in his system — "0.000000001, so there are a lot of zeroes before coming up a 1" — and added that he's a "fair player on and off the court."
Watch Sinner's full press conference below:
Several tennis players took to social media after the ITA's ruling, claiming that Sinner received preferential treatment. Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios said Sinner should be suspended for two years.
"Every player who gets tested positive has to go through the same process. There is no shortcut, there is no different treatment, they are all the same process," Sinner said. "I know sometimes the frustration of other players obviously. But maybe... they got suspended is they didn't know exactly where (the banned substance) comes from."
Sinner added, "We knew it straightaway, and we were aware of what happened. We went straightaway, and I was suspended for two, three days... But they accepted it very, very fast, and that's why."
The Italian opens the U.S. Open Tuesday against American Mackenzie McDonald on Arthur Ashe Stadium.
Contributing: Scooby Axon
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