"Not far from finding out the truth": Fans wildly speculate as Jannik Sinner's head coach opts out of US Open amid Italian's controversial hiring move

Jannik Sinner will have to defend his US Open title this year in the absence of coach Darren Cahill. The iconic Australian coach has decided to take a short break, but the news has come as a shock to several tennis fans, especially after the reigning No. 1 controversially rehired Umberto Ferrara as his fitness coach.

Last year, in the buildup to the US Open, it was jointly announced by Sinner and the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) that the Italian had twice tested positive for trace amounts of the banned, performance-enhancing anabolic steroid, Clostebol, in early 2024. Sinner had received a provisional suspension initially, but successfully overturned it by proving that his exposure to the substance was an accidental contamination.

According to the story presented by Jannik Sinner's defense, it was his fitness coach, Umberto Ferrara, who had purchased a Clostebol-containing topical medication in Italy and given it to the Italian's then-physio Giacomo Naldi to treat a cut on his finger. Naldi allegedly massaged the Italian without wearing gloves after applying the medication to his finger, facilitating the entry of Clostebol into Sinner's bloodstream.

The reigning No. 1 subsequently fired both Ferrara and Naldi and hired Marco Panichi and Ulises Badio to replace them. Surprisingly, ahead of his title-winning run at this year's Wimbledon Championships, Sinner removed both Panichi and Badio from his team, and days after he became the new champion at SW19, the Italian rehired Ferrara. And now, it's been confirmed that Darren Cahill won't be in the four-time Major champion's box at the 2025 US Open.

Many tennis fans speculated about Cahill's decision to skip the US Open after Sinner's controversial reappointment of Ferrara.

"Oh my goodness, just what is going on with Team Sinner?I genuinely think we are not far now from finally finding out the truth," one fan wrote. "Damn these last months are feeling like not a day has passed without hearing shocking news, Sinner fans really can't catch a break uh," commented another. "These Sinner bombshells are weird! Is Cahill not happy with the reappointment of Ferrera?," asked one. "Cahill is retiring at the end of this season. Why would you take a break 2 months before retirement?," another questioned. "I am really tired GIVE US A BREAK JANNIK SINNER YOU HAVE NO MERCY TO YOUR FANS," yet another fan chimed in. "Bald demon is back AND no Darren?? I don’t think I can handle this," added one.

Darren Cahill set to retire from coaching altogether after end of ongoing tennis season; Jannik Sinner disclosed "bet" between him and Australian after Wimbledon heroics

Jannik Sinner (left) and Darren Cahill (right) at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships (Source: Getty)

Darren Cahill, one of the most respected coaches in contemporary tennis, had earlier announced that the 2025 tennis season would be his last as a coach. However, after Jannik Sinner's title triumph at Wimbledon, the Italian revealed a "bet" he had made with Cahill in the buildup to the men's singles final at SW19.

"We made a bet before the final. I told him that if I won, I could choose whether he would stay at the end of the year or not. Now the choice is mine," Sinner said at a press conference after defeating Carlos Alcaraz in the Wimbledon final.

Later in the same press conference, though, Jannik Sinner admitted that even if he can convince Darren Cahill to continue coaching him beyond this year, the Australian is likely to travel to fewer tournaments. Currently, Cahill is one of Sinner's two coaches, with Simone Vagnozzi being the other one.

Edited by Sudipto Pati