Jannik Sinner, the top-ranked tennis player in the world, has altered his coaching team following a doping incident that occurred after he tested positive for a prohibited anabolic steroid on two occasions in March.

During his first press conference since the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITA) declared Tuesday that Sinner had “No Fault or Negligence” regarding the positive tests, Sinner announced that he had ended his association with fitness coach Umberto Ferrara and physiotherapist Giacomo Naldi. The ITA concluded that Sinner’s assertion that Clostebol entered his system due to contamination by a team member was credible based on expert analysis.

Sinner expressed a desire for a fresh start, despite the accomplishments he shared with Ferrara and Naldi, which included his first Grand Slam win at the Australian Open this year.

“I’m not confident continuing with them because of these mistakes,” Sinner shared with the media ahead of the U.S. Open. “What I need at the moment is to breathe fresh air. The last few months have been tough; I was waiting for the outcome, and now I just need some clear space.”

One day after his Cincinnati Open victory, the ITA made it public that Sinner had tested positive for Clostebol, an anabolic steroid on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s banned list, during testing at the BNP Paribas Open on March 10 and in an out-of-competition test on March 18. Although initially provisionally suspended after the positive findings, he was allowed to continue competing after a successful appeal.

Sinner claimed that contamination occurred when a team member used an over-the-counter Clostebol spray for a personal injury, which inadvertently affected him during daily massages and sports therapy sessions. Following an investigation, the ITA acknowledged Sinner’s explanation and ruled that he did not intend to violate doping rules. Although he lost prize money and ranking points earned at the Indian Wells tournament, he avoided a doping ban.

Sinner mentioned on Friday that it was a “relief” to receive the ITA’s ruling: “While it’s not the best timing before a Grand Slam, I know I haven’t done anything wrong. I’ve had to deal with this mentally for months. I always respect the anti-doping regulations and will continue to do so.”

Sinner stated that only a trace amount of Clostebol was detected — “0.000000001, with many zeros before a 1” — and asserted that he is a “fair player, both on the court and off.”

Some players within the tennis community reacted on social media following the ITA’s decision, with criticisms alleging that Sinner received leniency. Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios suggested that Sinner ought to be suspended for two years.

“Every player who tests positive must go through the same procedure. There are no shortcuts or special treatment; the process is uniform for everyone,” Sinner remarked. “I understand the frustrations of other players, but maybe they were suspended because they couldn’t pinpoint the source of the banned substance.”

Sinner added, “We identified the issue right away and were fully aware of the situation. I was suspended for two or three days, but the acceptance of my case was rapid, and that’s why things moved quickly.”

The Italian player is set to compete in the U.S. Open on Tuesday against Mackenzie McDonald from the United States at Arthur Ashe Stadium.

Contributing: Scooby Axon