Jannik Sinner says he is no longer working with
physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi and fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara following the
investigation into his positive tests for a banned substance.
The world number one twice tested positive for clostebol - a
steroid that can be used to build muscle mass - in March.
The Italian was cleared of
fault or negligence by a tribunal last week, with the International
Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) finding Sinner had been inadvertently
contaminated with the substance by Naldi.
Naldi had been applying an over-the-counter spray - given to
him by Ferrara - to a cut on his own hand before then carrying out treatments
on Sinner.
"I want to start with [saying] that they have been a
huge part for my career," Sinner said in a news conference at the US Open
on Friday.
"We made an incredible job, bringing a lot of success
and then having a great team behind me.
"Now, because of these mistakes, I'm not feeling that confident
to continue with them.
"I was struggling a lot in the last months. Now I was
waiting for the result, and now I just need some clean air."
Sinner received
a warm reception, external from the crowd during his first
practice session at Flushing Meadows on Thursday.
Speaking for the first time since the news emerged on
Monday, Sinner said it was a "relief" the investigation was over.
Asked if he had concerns about his reputation, Sinner said:
"For me, I always believe that I kept playing tennis because in my mind I
knew that I haven't done anything wrong.
"Whoever knows me very well knows that I haven't done
and I would never do something what goes against the rules.
"Here I also know who is my friend and who is not my
friend, because my friends, they know that I would never do that.
"About the reputation, we will see moving forward, no?
Because this, I can't really control."
He was given an automatic provisional suspension when he
tested positive but was able to keep playing after successfully appealing
against it.
Sinner went on to win tournaments in Halle and Cincinnati
and become world number one for the first time.
"Of course it's not ideal before a Grand Slam but in my
mind I know that I haven't done anything wrong," he said.
"I had to play already months with this in my head.
"I'm just happy that it's finally out because it's one
kind of relief also for me and my team, which is still here."
Some players have criticised the decision not to ban Sinner
when the positive tests occurred.
Sinner said he went through the same process as any other
player, adding: "There is no shortcut, no different treatment.
"I know sometimes the frustration of other players
obviously. But maybe because they got suspended is they didn't know exactly
where it comes from.
"We knew it straightaway, and we were aware of what
happened."
Other players have also expressed surprise at how quickly
the process took place, with fewer than five months between the positive test
and a verdict.
Two-time Grand Slam champion Simona Halep waited a year for
a decision from the initial tribunal after her positive test for a banned
substance, and Britain’s Tara Moore more than 18 months.
Britain's Dan Evans - who was given a 12-month ban after
testing positive for cocaine in 2017 - said he thought Sinner was "lucky
how quickly his case came forward".
“The question marks are how he got through that process so
quick, when there’s normally a big backlog to get evidence on both sides,"
he told BBC Sport.
"I remember with my own case how long it took - nothing
was ever done very quick.
"I’m not sure that people are that happy that it’s a
fair playing field on the ITIA’s process for all cases.
"We need transparency and fairness.”
The ITIA declined to comment.
Australian Open champion Sinner begins his US Open campaign
against American Mackenzie McDonald when the tournament begins on Monday.
