In a recent update, Jannik Sinner has made a significant change to his support team.
Following Novak Djokovic’s recent doping controversy, Sinner has hired Djokovic’s former fitness coach, Marco Panichi.
This decision comes amidst Djokovic’s situation where he was cleared after testing positive twice for a banned substance.
On social media, Sinner welcomed Panichi to his team with a warm post.
He shared a photo of himself alongside Panichi and their new physiotherapist, Ulises Badio, with the caption, “Welcome to the team.”
Team Changes and Recent Developments
This move comes after Sinner parted ways with his previous fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, and his physiotherapist, Giacomo Naldi.
The departure occurred just before his victory at the US Open.
The two positive doping tests Sinner faced in March were due to traces of clostebol, a banned substance found in a spray used by his staff to treat a minor injury.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted Sinner’s explanation, but it sparked significant backlash from the tennis community, including criticism from Australian player Nick Kyrgios.
Panichi’s Background and New Role
Marco Panichi, who has an extensive background in tennis coaching, has previously worked with notable players such as Fabio Fognini, Angelique Kerber, and Li Na.
He was also part of Djokovic’s coaching team from 2019 until earlier this year.
With this new addition to Sinner’s team, it will be interesting to see how their partnership unfolds in the coming months.
