Jannik Sinner’s ex-physiotherapist, who gave him the massages that led to his positive tests for a banned substance, recently spoke about the incident.

Giacomo Naldi joined Sinner as a physiotherapist in February 2023. The world number 1’s team always seemed very close on and off the pitch, and it looked like Naldi could work with him for a long time.

However, this possibility ended after Sinner’s high-profile doping scandal. It was revealed days before the start of the US Open that the 23-year-old had undergone two drug tests for the banned substance clostebol.

Sinner was cleared by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), but the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) appealed, believing a one to two year suspension would be appropriate.

Neither the ITIA nor the AMA dispute Sinner’s explanation of how clostebol entered the system. WADA appealed because they felt the Italian bore some responsibility for the way it happened.

Unfortunately for Naldi, he and Sinner’s former fitness trainer, Umberto Ferrara, undoubtedly take responsibility for what happened. Ferrara gave Naldi an over-the-counter spray to use on a cut on his finger.

Neither Ferrara nor Naldi knew the spray contained clostebol. Sinner’s former physiotherapist then gave him massages without gloves after using the spray, leading to clostebol entering the world number 1’s system.

The controversy surrounding the doping scandal led Sinner to drop Naldi and Ferrara from his team, although some questioned why he waited to do so until the investigation was made public and not when he found out positive tests.

Sinner replaced Naldi and Ferrara with former team members Novak Djokovic, Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio. The Italian will face Djokovic for the first time since engaging both men in a blockbuster Shanghai Masters final.

Naldi spoke briefly about the doping scandal during the Open Food Factory project presentation, saying that he was doing well and that he hoped to one day be able to give a picture of what happened.

“I’m fine. I’m sorry like everyone else. I can’t say anything else, I just hope that sooner or later I can also tell what happened to give a general picture, like the knows anyone who has read the sentence.

The physiotherapist also spoke about his relationship with Sinner. He explained how the two-time Grand Slam winner was nice to him, but admitted to being aware of the many negative comments about him and Ferrara since the doping saga became public.

“He wrote to me, he was nice like all the staff. For the rest, I received and read things that were not nice, but that’s part of the game,”

Naldi must desperately hope Sinner avoids a ban when the verdict on his appeal is handed down next year. He and Ferrara would have to live with the guilt if the US Open champion served a two-year suspension for positive tests.

Sinner has maintained his focus impressively since his positive tests were made public and will look to do so until the end of the season.