"He’s a competitive animal" - Darren Cahill speaks highly of Jannik Sinner's competitiveness

Jannik Sinner has taken the tennis world by storm over the last 18 months. With a tight grip on that number one ranking, he looks unbeatable whenever he steps out onto the court. His coach, Darren Cahill, has been a big protagonist behind the recent success, and has described Sinner as a 'competitive animal'.

The Italian burst onto the world stage after producing an incredible comeback to defeat Daniil Medvedev in five sets to claim the Australian Open. He would follow that success with an immense 2024, winning seven more titles, which included the US Open, ATP finals and came out on top in three Masters 1000 events in Miami, Cincinnati and Shanghai.

He successfully defended his Australian Open title at the start of the year before beginning a three-month suspension for suspected doping. He would return on clay in Rome, defeated by his arch-rival Carlos Alcaraz before the Spaniard conquered Sinner in the Roland Garros final, coming back from two sets to save multiple match points and win his fifth Grand Slam.

Sinner would not have to wait long for his revenge, getting the better of Alcaraz at Wimbledon to claim his first Grand Slam not on a hard court. Since the start of Wimbledon, he is currently on a nine-game winning streak, with him the favourite to regain his title in Cincinnati before setting his sights on the US Open.

Cahill has overlooked Sinner's rise to the top of the game, coaching the 23-year-old from July 2022. Recently, the pair committed another year to their partnership, with no sign of the Italian's form dropping off.

The Australian revealed he was very 'proud' of Sinner, and that his hard work is finally paying off. In an interview with Tennis World Italia, Cahill said: "As coaches, we are very proud because all the work done over the last three years is now showing in matches and big tournaments, allowing him to go all the way and win. It doesn’t take just four or five days to make major changes in a player. It’s the result of one or two years of pushing him day after day and making sure we keep working on every aspect."

When they first got together, Cahill picked apart Sinner's game and looked towards the serve for improvement. He disclosed Sinner's work rate and willingness to improve on the court, and to take his game to a whole new level. His improved serve helped him taste success at SW19, with him able to place the ball accurately with a lot of power in areas opponents would struggle to return.

"One thing I told him from the very beginning of our collaboration was: ‘Your serve has to improve, '" Cahill said. "You’re 1.90m tall and a strong guy. You need to be able to increase the speed of your first serve and improve its placement. That way, you’ll start winning free points with your first serve.

"If, on the other hand, others manage to neutralise your serve, you’ll have to work much harder to earn your points. Then, the questions started pouring in, one after another... That’s typical of him. He wants to compete. He’s a competitive animal. Right now, we’re witnessing an incredible level of tennis, with Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik."

Sinner's preparations for the US Open are looking good. In his first tournament after Wimbledon, the three-time Grand Slam winner has defeated Daniel Elahi Galan and Gabriel Diallo with ease, with a round of 32 tie against French qualifier Adrian Mannarino next on the cards. Sinner is under pressure to defend the points he claimed from his success in Cincinnati the preceding year.