Jannik Sinner’s former physio has finally broken his silence about getting fired after the doping scandal that rocked tennis last year.
Giacomo Naldi was let go by the world No. 2 after accidentally contaminating Sinner with a banned substance during massages at Indian Wells. It’s the first time he’s really opened up about what happened.
The whole mess started when Naldi used a spray containing clostebol – a prohibited substance – to treat a cut on his finger. He then gave Sinner massages without realizing he was transferring traces of the drug.
| Name | Age | Points | Stats 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jannik Sinner | 24 | 15,405 | 33 - 3 |
The Fallout
Sinner tested positive twice for the substance. Even though it was clearly accidental, the tennis star made a pretty dramatic decision when the case went public.
He fired both Naldi and physiotherapist Umberto Ferrara just days before the 2024 US Open, saying he couldn’t trust them anymore.
That had to sting. These guys had been working with him throughout the entire investigation.
Sinner ended up serving a three-month ban after reaching a settlement with the World Anti-Doping Agency. He came back just before this year’s Italian Open and didn’t miss any Grand Slams.
But here’s where it gets really interesting.
The Surprising Comeback
After Wimbledon this year, Sinner shocked everyone by rehiring Ferrara – but not Naldi.
Fans were pretty upset about it. Many thought bringing back anyone involved in the doping case was a slap in the face to the whole process.
The fact that only Ferrara got his job back raised some obvious questions. Was there bad blood between Sinner and Naldi?
No Hard Feelings?
Naldi says that’s not the case at all. In a recent interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, he opened up about the whole situation for the first time.
"I never wanted to comment on what happened with the Sinner team, and I will continue not to. Even though it’s an incident that has hurt me, both personally and professionally."
He admits it was tough on him. Who wouldn’t be hurt after losing such a high-profile job over an honest mistake?
But Naldi insists things stayed civil throughout the investigation.
"Even during the proceedings, we always had a good relationship. I’ve always behaved correctly; I’ve never sought publicity. These are the first official statements I’ve made since everything happened."
That’s actually pretty classy. While the tennis world was buzzing with speculation, Naldi kept quiet and let the process play out.
"At times, I’ve been put in the mouth with words taken from other contexts that have sparked social media hate and controversy. Unlike others, I never said anything about what happened, and I think my honesty was evident and appreciated."
Moving Forward
Maybe most surprisingly, Naldi says he still talks to Sinner. He’s even run into Darren Cahill and Ferrara since getting let go.
"We talked, it was cordial, we shared private things. Beyond everything, the human relationship remains after a case that involved us, and it was just an unfortunate series of coincidences, and we are aware of that."
It really does sound like a series of unfortunate events. A small cut, a helpful spray, some massages – and suddenly you’re at the center of a major doping scandal.
"I saw [Darren] Cahill, who has always been very kind, and I ran into [Umberto] Ferrara. I come from a basketball background, I’ve always tried to bring team spirit to the Sinner team, too, and that’s one of the things that was most appreciated."
The fact that everyone’s being cordial says a lot about the people involved. Professional sports can get pretty nasty when things go wrong.
"Even though the collaboration has ended, there’s no hard feelings. What happened can’t be changed, but we have to move on. Life goes on."
The Bigger Picture
This whole saga will always be part of tennis history. Whether you think Sinner handled it right or wrong, it’s shaped all their careers.
Sinner seems to have moved past it pretty well. He’s been playing great tennis since coming back from his ban.
For Naldi, this interview might be his way of finally getting closure on a chapter that changed his life in ways he never expected.
Sometimes the most interesting stories in sports happen away from the courts.
