Jannik Sinner's recent success, including his second consecutive ATP Finals victory over Carlos Alcaraz on 16/11, is a direct result of lessons drawn from tennis's "Big 3". Coach Darren Cahill revealed that he and Sinner meticulously studied the playing styles and lifestyles of Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic to elevate Sinner's game.

A key area of improvement for Sinner was his serve, a decision made after his US Open final loss to Alcaraz. "Serving was the first thing we considered improving after the US Open final defeat to Alcaraz", Cahill told Eurosport on 16/11. "Sinner had some issues with his serve, which is the most important shot in tennis, as it's the only one you can fully control. For four or five continuous weeks, Sinner enhanced it with coach Simone Vagnozzi, regaining his rhythm and increasing his first serve percentage."

Coach Cahill (right) and his team celebrate with Sinner after the ATP Finals final at Inalpi Arena, Turin, Italy on the evening of 16/11. Photo: Reuters

Cahill explained that the 'Big 3' are notoriously difficult to break because of their exceptional control over both first and second serves. Federer is considered the "king of serve", Nadal a master of the spin serve, and Djokovic known for his unpredictable variations.

This dedication to serve improvement paid dividends when Sinner returned to the indoor hard court season. He dominated nearly all his service games, losing only one to Ben Shelton at the Paris Masters and another to Alcaraz in the ATP Finals final. Sinner's strategy involved slowing down his serve speed while increasing the difficulty of the landing spot and the percentage of first serves. "We aim to place the ball closer to the line, thereby earning more points when opponents return errors", Cahill added.

The learning process from the tennis titans is ongoing. "The team is still trying to learn from Federer, Nadal, Djokovic", the Australian coach emphasized. "We apply as much as we can learn from them to pressure opponents. What makes Alcaraz and Sinner superior is their relentless pressure. You struggle even with your own service game because they return the ball continuously with increasing difficulty. It's like Federer in his prime, finishing a service game in 40 seconds and then immediately applying pressure on the return game."

Despite his satisfaction with Sinner's performance this year, Cahill believes there are still areas for his protege to improve. "Sinner's peak tennis might occur when he is 28 or 29 years old", he stated. "Our current task is to lay the foundation for him."

Regarding Carlos Alcaraz, coach Cahill described him as an extraordinary talent. He noted, "Alcaraz's attitude is even more commendable than his exceptional skill. In the final, when Sinner hit a down-the-line winner, he looked at us and smiled. Few professional opponents display such sportsmanship. We greatly admire Alcaraz."

However, not all of Sinner's coaching staff share the same admiration for all top players. Simone Vagnozzi, another of Sinner's coaches, expressed disapproval of Novak Djokovic, who criticized the way ATP and related organizations handled Sinner's doping case. Djokovic had suggested that the 23-year-old received undue favoritism, leading to discontent among many colleagues.

"Criticism is the lowest form of human knowledge", coach Simone Vagnozzi wrote on his Instagram page last week, in a clear allusion to Djokovic. "The highest form of knowledge is empathy. It requires us to set aside our ego and live in another's world."

Vy Anh