Sinner’s coach highlights Djokovic’s ex-aides’ contribution to “amazing year” despite mid-season inclusion to the team

World No 1 Jannik Sinner‘s coach Simone Vagnozzi had every reason to celebrate with bottles of champagne after the former lifted the 2024 ATP Finals trophy on Sunday (November 17) in Turin, Italy, to cap off a tremendously successful season.

Sinner defeated American Taylor Fritz in the final of the season-ending championship in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) to add an eighth title, including the Australian Open and US Open, to his trophy cabinet for the season.

“For sure was amazing year,” Vagnozzi noted in delight during the post-tournament presser in Turin. “We start with a victory in Australia and we finish with the trophy here. Was amazing year. It was really long year, stressful year, for sure. But we are happy with everything we achieve this year. First two Slam for Jannik, first win here in Italy with ATP Masters.”

Sinner’s team arguably enjoyed unprecedented success in 2024 but also endured legal and psychological battles after the 23-year-old tested positive for Clostebol, a banned steroid, at Indian Wells in March. In the investigation that followed, it surfaced the substance entered the Italian’s body due to the negligence of his former team members Giacomo Naldi (physio) and Umberto Ferrara (trainer).

Consequently, the youngster decided to part ways with Giacomo and Ferrara after the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) freed him in August citing ‘No Fault or Negligence’ in the doping scandal.

Weeks later, Sinner roped in Ulises Badio and Marco Panichi to replace Naldi and Ferrara, respectively, for a change in the mood and operations of his team, which already had compatriot Vagnozzi and Aussie Darren Cahill as the two coaches. Interestingly, Badio worked with 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic for five seasons (2017-22) and Panichi also looked after the Serbian for seven (2017-24).

In Turin, Vagnozzi explained Badio and Panichi’s arrival to Sinner’s squad in mid-season wasn’t typical but the duo contributed to the world No 1’s success in the latter half of the season.

For sure is not usually situation. Doesn’t happen so many times. But tennis, we learn always to adapt ourself to the new chapter.”

Simone Vagnozzi

“We take two guys with a lot of experience. They come with experience of Novak [Djokovic]. For sure really professional guys. The two change something, no? The method is different, for sure. Step by step we found a really good — how can I say in English — really good method with them. The result is going well.

“For sure it’s not easy not to bring some new method during the season. For sure them job would be more important during the pre-season for the next year. We will see. For sure are really nice guy. Are really professional. We’re really happy to have them in the team.”

Vagnozzi, who joined Sinner in February 2022, further credited the entire team for the on-court results:

“It’s not just my job. Is Darren job, all the fitness coach, the physio that every day we work with him.I said already, we are really happy how he improve from the first day that we start together.”

You might also like this

Victorious Sinner still searching for improvement: “It’s small details that make the difference”

tennis majors

Sinner drugs case: CAS commences proceedings in WADA appeal

tennis majors

Sinner not stressed by CAS ruling on WADA appeal: “I’m very positive of how it’s going to be”

tennis majors

“Seems that it was only my fault” – Sinner’s ex-physio on doping scandal

tennis majors