"Just yesterday we lost 20 dollars each": Coach of Sinner reveals Italian's hunger to win from rankings down to card games

Italy’s tennis star Jannik Sinner’s coach has praised the player for his attitude towards the game.

The 20-year-old is one of the most highly-rated young players in men’s tennis alongside Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz.

Sinner’s coach Simone Vagnozzi was recently quoted in a report where he heaped praise on the current world number seven, who according to him is eager to win everything in tennis.

"I've known Jannik since he was 14,” he said. “He played against one of my junior players, so I saw him for the first time there. We met many times at tournaments when I coached Marco Cecchinato and Stefano Travaglia. It's really nice coaching him because he's a really fun guy.

“He has a really good character. It's easy to coach Jannik also because he wants to improve a lot and always go on the pitch with a smile and everything else; so, for a coach it's really nice."

Vagnozzi further went on to reveal details about how he along with Darren Cahill works as a team to provide the best facilities and training material to prepare for tougher tasks ahead.

"Normally we are two coaches in the team, me and Darren Cahill,” he said. “Sometimes we are together, sometimes we are alone with Jannik. Normally I take care of the technical things on the pitch. Giacomo and Umberto do the physical things first, then we go on the pitch and we play for an hour and a half, usually with another player.

“We play some points, do some exercises and in the afternoon we do an hour of technique. Serve, volley, slice. Normally this is the routine. Vagnozzi appreciates working with a coach as well-regarded as Cahill and believes the broader team Sinner has assembled is a good foundation to help him reach greater heights.

“The relationship is really good. Darren is a really good person and also has an incredible work record. Umberto the athletic trainer who I have known for many years because we worked together with Cecchinato and Travaglia. The physio Giacomo is new, but he is a really good, young guy. Everything is working fine at the moment."

Vagnozzi continued about his will to win: "Jannik wants to win everything. Just yesterday we lost 20 dollars each, Darren and I, because he hit the ball with his serve on the first try. If we tell him: You get 20 euros if you do it the first time and 15 euros if you do it the second time! Jannik always does it the first time!"