Jim Courier: “Sinner is a killer who runs his business like a criminal. But I like him”

" Sinner seems like a docile and calm kitten, but in reality he is a murderer and runs his business like a criminal ." Incredibly, these are the words of Jim Courier , the former world number one who has entrusted his decidedly extreme thoughts, at least in his vocabulary, to Tennis Channel . It all started, obviously, with the world number one's decision to quietly and with a certain brutality liquidate his working relationship with Marco Panici , athletic trainer, and Ulises Badio , physiotherapist - less than a year after they had been hired. Panichi and Badio in turn had replaced two other 'surpluses', Umberto Ferrara and Giacomo Naldi , fired after the Clostebol affair . "Sinner fired Riccardo Piatti a few years ago, having understood that his game had to evolve and that he needed something different," continued Courier, today highly appreciated in his role as a television commentator. “That’s why he decided to hire Simone Vagnozzi as his head coach , before adding Darren Cahill to his team a few months later. He’s not afraid to make bold choices and I kind of like his approach.”

In short, harsh words but more refined thought . For Courier, it seems, those who pursue their own interests with pragmatic speed and without too much sentimentality should be appreciated , but perhaps Jim could have measured his words better, given that his outburst has created confusion in an environment where nerves remain exposed. Even in the press conference here at Wimbledon, for example, the topic of the three-month suspension resurfaced and how much Jannik feels at ease in a locker room that, to put it mildly, was not all united in showing him support and understanding. " People have forgotten about it by now ," Jannik responded coldly. " They've all understood that I'm clean ." However, as he left, he glared at the questioner.

Hearing himself called, even if figuratively, a ' gangster ', cannot have pleased him, even if the intent, as we have seen, was not to insult him. In the environment, it must be said, a certain distrust for the many Italian successes takes root , at least among some ill-tempered people who every now and then mutter (or post) about a phantom "Italian job" regarding the management of the Sinner case. Not Courier, of course: Jim is a man of honor. But sometimes words really are as heavy as stones .