By Jon Pierik
World No.1 Jannik Sinner says Australian coach Darren Cahill has become like family to him, as the pair now plot how the Italian star can claim a non-calendar-year grand slam.
The morning after a night of curbed celebrations to mark his second Australian Open title, Sinner was full of smiles when he fronted the media at Albert Park Lake complete with the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup, the second time is as many years he has claimed the trophy given to the winner of the year’s first grand slam event.
Jannik Sinner with the spoils of victory – the Norman Brookes Challenge Cup – after his win in Sunday’s men’s singles final at the Australian Open.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
Sinner, 23, claimed his latest piece of major silverware – and $3.5 million in prizemoney – with a 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 victory over Germany’s Alexander Zverev at Melbourne Park on Sunday night.
It was his third grand slam title, and second straight, having also won the US Open last year.
Sinner, who is also a former French Open and Wimbledon semi-finalist, said on Monday his immediate focus was only on enjoying the moment. But the world’s best male player has the all-round game to win on all surfaces.
“A tough question,” Sinner replied when asked whether the Roland Garros and Wimbledon titles were within his sights.
“I am not thinking about that, to be honest. I am going to enjoy this moment now. It [Roland Garros] is a different tournament … the last time I played there, [I made] semi-finals last year, so let’s see what’s coming there.
“Grass tennis is also a different surface where you have to have confidence with the court. Let’s see. I am happy with this one, then let’s see in the future what I can achieve.”
Cahill, the former Australian player turned master coach, has been instrumental in Sinner’s rise. He is one quarter of Sinner’s successful team, alongside fellow coach Simone Vagnozzi, physio Giacomo Naldi and fitness trainer Umberto Ferrara.
“I believe coaching is on the court but also off the court. I think to be a good coach you have to understand, first of all the player but also the team environment. He [Cahill] is very humble to do that.” Sinner said.
“He has shown this, not only with me, but with so many other players. I am learning a lot from him. I just try to do my best … at the end of the day, we are not only coach and player, but it’s more like we are family. Him, the combination with Simona, has been amazing. They have a lot of respect for each other. I think that’s what makes him very special.”
Cahill has said this is his last year coaching, but Sinner may yet talk him into continuing.
“That’s a good question. We will be answering that in the future,” the world No.1 said.
Before packing and leaving Melbourne on Monday night, Sinner said his second Australian Open title was more enjoyable than his breakthrough victory.
“The first one was kind of a relief, it’s different, it gives you the (confidence) that you can do it; play some great tennis,” he said.
“This one, the second one, maybe I can enjoy it a bit more because it’s different. But every grand slam you win, tournament that you go far, it has its own story. You have to pass difficulties, like I did this year, this makes it very, very special.”
Rather than hit the town, Sinner and his close-knit team had a quiet dinner late on Sunday night.
“We had a nice dinner with all the team, my brother was here, just having a great time together, which is exactly what we needed. We have been two weeks under many, many people, it was nice to close just with us,” he said.
Sinner admitted pre-tournament he was unsure how he would be received by the Australian crowds after he was embroiled in a drugs saga last year.
In August, he tested positive for minuscule traces of a performance-enhancing drug, Clostebol. He avoided a ban due to a “no fault or negligence” ruling. But, in April, he will face the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland after the World Anti-Doping Agency appealed the International Tennis Integrity Agency’s decision to not suspend him.
Regardless, Sinner said the support he had received had helped propel him to victory.
“The crowd has been amazing. From the beginning of the tournament, but also the week of preparation, a lot of support. That’s what maybe means the most to me,” Sinner said.
Jannik Sinner soaks up the moment on match point in the Australian Open final.Credit: Eddie Jim
Australian Open director Craig Tiley said Sinner dominated the event this year.
“Jannik raised his level of tennis to another level that we haven’t actually seen at Melbourne Park for a long time,” Tiley said.
“I had a brief conversation with Darren Cahill and his team, and they themselves, too, said that the way he played, the way he defended, the way he took advantage of every single opportunity was magnificent. There was nothing anyone could have done last night to get the better of Jannik,”
Tiley said crowds at this year’s event were largely well behaved, noting there had been some booing of 10-time champion Novak Djokovic when he retired one set into his semi-final against Zverev and that a spectator heckled Zverev during Sunday night’s presentation ceremony.
“I think the Australian fans are among the most educated when it comes to tennis, among the most respectful,” Tiley said. “That was a great set of tennis [ in Djokovic’s semi-final] – an hour and 20 minutes – and I think they wanted to see more of it.”
The woman who called out to Zverev during Sunday night’s presentations was evicted after making reference to previously reported domestic assault allegations against him, which he has denied. Tiley said it was not clear if she would face any further action over the disruption.
“She was disruptive to the players in that instance, to the rest of the fans that were enjoying the rest of the final, rightly so, she should be evicted because we don’t tolerate behaviour that is designed to be disruptive and that’s what her behaviour was designed to do.”
Aged 37 and now carrying a serious hamstring tear, Djokovic’s immediate future is unclear, but Tiley expects the champion will return to play the Open in 2026.
“I haven’t met a player that does as much pre-preparation and has as much focus on it as Novak does. He knows how to play. In the semi-finals, going for his 11th title, he would do everything he possibly can to get on the court, as he did, but I think he realised at the beginning of that second set that he couldn’t be able to finish the match,” Tiley said.
“There was some talk about Novak – Novak will return. He leaves today, his family, his team left on Friday, and we will see Novak back. I look forward to catching up with him in a couple of weeks.”
