 "Some feedback from Novak Djokovic in 2022 helped Jannik Sinner massively improve his game. Image: Reuters")
Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill has revealed how Novak Djokovic’s feedback on the Italian’s game helped him make the current world No.1 a much better player. Djokovic shared his frank feedback, which included Sinner lacking variation, height on the net and failing to attack serve, after he beat the three-time Grand Slam winner in the quarter-finals of the 2022 Wimbledon.
On the podcast ‘Served with Andy Roddick,’ Sinner’s coach Cahill revealed that he approached Djokovic after the Serbian defeated his player to understand where the youngster can improve.
“Hits the ball great, but there’s no variation. So you know, there’s no shape on his shot. There’s no height over the net. Doesn’t come to the net. He’s not trying to bring me in, I know that he returns well, but he’s not attacking my serve on the return of serve,” Cahill said while explaining the feedback Djokovic gave.
Djokovic’s feedback helps Sinner improve his game
“Novak got used to his ball, got used to the shape, got used to the pace and then just locked in, like Novak does, and doesn’t miss. And won the last three sets reasonably easily,” Cahill said while talking about the 2022 match.
“And I saw Novak, and he’s always great with this, he’s always been incredible when you tap him on the shoulder. And I said, ‘Hey listen, I’ve just started with Jannik, don’t tell me anything you don’t want to tell me, but can I ask what you were feeling out there?’ And he was incredible.”
Cahill later shared the feedback with Sinner and they together started bringing in the required changes to his game. “So he went through his whole game and broke it down. It wasn’t like it was revelations to what we didn’t know about Jannik and what we were trying to change in his game.
“But when you take that conversation and sit down with a young man like Jannik Sinner and say,’ Hey, listen, I just spoke to Novak and this is what he thinks’, that leaves a big impression on a young player. So for Jannik it’s: ‘Right, give it to me. Let’s start doing these changes’.”
Since the 2022 defeat, Sinner has gone on to win two Australian Open and one US Open titles.