Connect with us

Entertainment

Jannik Sinner’s fired physiotherapist at centre of doping row reveals recent ‘private’ chat

Published

on

The physiotherapist at the centre of Jannik Sinner’s drug testing controversy has revealed he still has a “cordial” relationship with the world No 2 despite being fired by the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Get Sports Updates on WhatsApp

Join our WhatsApp channel to receive breaking sports news and insider stories.

Join us on WhatsApp

Sinner split with physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi and fitness trainer Umberto Ferrera shortly before the 2024 US Open, after both men were held responsible by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) for the Italian’s failed drugs tests back in March 2024.

The four-time major champion was initially found to have been of “no fault or negligence” by the ITIA after twice testing positive for the banned substance clostebol, after they accepted that he had accidentally been contaminated by Naldi.

The physiotherapist was given a treatment for a cut on his hand containing the banned substance by Ferrara, before treating Sinner without the use of gloves.

Though they initially remained part of his team, Sinner fired both Naldi and Ferrera once the case and the ruling were made public, and he was ultimately handed a three-month suspension after settling with the World Anti-Doping Agency, which was appealing the ITIA’s initial ruling.

Though Ferrera has now been brought back into the 24-year-old’s entourage, Naldi has remained on the sidelines, and a return looks unlikely.

However, in a new interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Naldi claimed that he had maintained a good relationship with the former world No 1 despite the controversy.

“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,” said Naldi

“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.

“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.”

Naldi also revealed that he had recently seen Sinner in New York, when the world No 2 was attempting to defend his US Open title.

The physiotherapist claimed that the conversation had been cordial, and that he had also spoken to Ferrara and Darren Cahill — one of Sinner’s coaches — during that spell.

He added: “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.

“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.

“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.”

Having been beaten by Carlos Alcaraz in the US Open final and losing his world No 1 ranking to the Spaniard as a result, Sinner has returned to action at the China Open this week.

Sinner lifted the China Open title back in 2023 and was beaten by Alcaraz in the final last year, though he is the top seed and heavy favourite in the world No 1’s absence.

The Italian began his campaign on Thursday with a convincing 6-2, 6-2 win over Marin Cilic.

Entertainment

Paige Spiranac’s surprising NFL fandom confession triggers heated debate over loyalty, authenticity, and fan culture

Published

on

The 2026 NFL Draft starts Thursday night in Pittsburgh, and the spotlight isn’t only on prospects and front offices. Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has again found herself pulled into NFL conversation, this time for her open support of multiple teams.

Get Sports Updates on WhatsApp

Join our WhatsApp channel to receive breaking sports news and insider stories.

Join us on WhatsApp

With the Steelers hosting the first round, her long-standing connection to Pittsburgh has resurfaced. But it’s not just about hometown ties. Her broader fandom, which stretches beyond one franchise, continues to draw mixed reactions at a time when fan loyalty is often treated as non-negotiable.

Paige Spiranac roots for 2 NFL teams: Who are they?

Paige Spiranac has never hidden where her loyalties lie, even if they don’t fit the usual mold. She has consistently pointed to her roots while leaving space for other allegiances.

“Both my parents are from Pittsburgh so I’ve been a Steelers ..fan since the day I was born. I also love the Bills. It’s a complicated relationship…Who’s your team?” she previously asked her followers. It’s a candid admission, one that reflects personal history more than calculated fandom.

Still, the reaction has been sharp. NFL culture tends to rew ..

 

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Quiet moments on the course can say a lot about what’s coming next.

Published

on

Sometimes the most important work happens when nobody is really watching.
Lexi Thompson was out on the 18th green, working through her putting during a practice round ahead of the Chevron Championship in Houston.

Get Sports Updates on WhatsApp

Join our WhatsApp channel to receive breaking sports news and insider stories.

Join us on WhatsApp

It’s a simple scene, but it shows the kind of quiet preparation that goes into these big tournaments—getting the feel of the greens, adjusting to conditions, and building trust in every stroke.

These are the small details that can shape how a player starts when the pressure kicks in.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Predicting what will happen to Bryson DeChambeau and Phil Mickelson if LIV Golf collapses

Published

on

It looks like LIV Golf is over.

Get Sports Updates on WhatsApp

Join our WhatsApp channel to receive breaking sports news and insider stories.

Join us on WhatsApp

The Saudi Public Investment Fund has reportedly decided that this league simply isn’t worth the hole it’s burning in their pocket, and they’re pulling funds at the end of 2026.

That gives them less than a year to seek new investment. While CEO Scott O’Neil seems confident, it’s going to be extremely difficult to secure funding for a league that is operating at such eye-watering losses.

So this probably pulls the curtain closed on one of the most turbulent, frustrating, confusing, and ridiculous eras in golfing history. Hopefully, we can all return to some reality after the year is over.

But there is still so much uncertainty surrounding golf’s future thanks to this. Brooks Koepka and Patrick Reed saw the signs early and jumped ship, but they did that with some leverage. So what on earth is going to happen to the rest of these players who didn’t take the olive branch when it was offered to them?

Feelings will be hurt, and careers will be ended. Let’s take a look.

Jon Rahm rejoins the PGA Tour

Koepka returned to the PGA Tour under the returning member program, which saw him pay $5 million to charity, accept that he’ll receive no FedEx Cup bonus money, and agree he cannot be a sponsor exemption for the 2026 signature events.

 

That same deal was offered to Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau. They didn’t accept it, but a similar offer will likely be handed out to them again.

 

If LIV Golf folds, Rahm will not hold the same leverage as Koepka did, but he is a bigger star at this stage of his career. Make no mistake, the PGA Tour will want him back immediately.

But Rahm does risk leaving himself without any options at all. Reed didn’t come straight back to the PGA Tour, so he’s spending a year on the DP World Tour first. You’d imagine Rahm would consider doing the same, but it might not be so easy for him.

Rahm is in a feud with the DP World Tour, as the only one of eight players to reject a deal which would have seen him retain his full-time membership. If Rahm agreed to play in six DP World Tour events this year, then he could have played on both LIV Golf and the tour. He did not agree.

For now, his membership is at risk. So, will it be possible for him to spend a season on the DP World Tour like Reed? Maybe not. That makes it all the more likely that Rahm will be back on the PGA Tour the moment LIV folds.

Bryson DeChambeau does YouTube full-time

With DeChambeau, I don’t think it’s as much of a done deal that he returns to the PGA Tour. Not immediately anyway.

He’s been negotiating his contract with LIV, which expires at the end of this season. During these negotiations, he’s made it very clear that he is completely willing to step away from full-time competition and be a full-time YouTuber.

DeChambeau’s channel has over two million subscribers, so he could feasibly do that with all of the money he’s making there.

He was annoyed to see LIV move to a four-day format, so he could commit himself fully to being the content king. It would be a wild thing to do, but it’s also exactly the kind of move you could see the two-time major winner making.

He could qualify for The Open Championship and the US Open, and earn enough points there to play The Masters and the PGA Championship. It’s possible.

He does seem to live for competition, so maybe YouTube won’t quite scratch the itch, but it is on the table for DeChambeau. At least for a year until his suspension expires. Out of Rahm and DeChambeau, the American is absolutely the least likely to take a deal.

Continue Reading

Trending

error: Content is protected !!