World No. 1 Jannik Sinner announces important career move ahead of US Open

After defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final, Jannik Sinner cemented his place at the top of the ATP Rankings. Now, with the US Open looming, the Italian star has announced an important move aimed at maximizing his performance on tour.

“Jannik Sinner has reappointed Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach with immediate effect,” the 23-year-old player’s management stated in a press release on Wednesday. “Umberto has played an important role in Jannik’s development to date, and his return reflects a renewed focus on continuity and performance at the highest level.”

Ferrara had previously worked with Sinner until a doping-related case earlier this year led to a suspension. In that incident, Sinner explained that a positive test result stemmed from a spray that physio Giacomo Naldi gave Ferrara to treat a hand wound, which ultimately reached the player during a massage.

The tribunal accepted that explanation, although the ruling was later appealed by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Following a hearing, a settlement was reached, resulting in a relatively lenient three-month suspension, from February to May.

After the case, Sinner ended his working relationship with both Ferrara and Naldi, opting instead to bring in Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio, who had previously worked with Novak Djokovic. However, Sinner decided to part ways with them ahead of his debut at Wimbledon.

Sinner’s upcoming challenges

In the same statement, Sinner’s team emphasized that the choice to bring Ferrara back had to do with the season’s key challenges in mind: “The decision has been made in alignment with Jannik’s management team as part of ongoing preparations for upcoming tournaments, including the Cincinnati Open and US Open.”

Sinner has already withdrawn from the Toronto Masters 1000, joining Carlos Alcaraz and Novak Djokovic in skipping the tournament. That means his next appearance will be at the Cincinnati Open—a pivotal event for the Italian. He won the title there in 2024, while Alcaraz was eliminated in the round of 32, so Sinner will need a strong showing to maintain his lead in the ATP Rankings.

And that’s not all. As noted in the statement from Sinner’s management, the US Open follows the Masters 1000 in Ohio. The year’s final Grand Slam carries added importance for Jannik, as he was also the 2024 US Open champion—meaning those points will be crucial for him in the weeks ahead.