"It is the strategy I used with Andre Agassi" - Jannik Sinner's coach Darren Cahill on Italian skipping all tournaments before Australian Open 2024
Jannik Sinner's coach, Darren Cahill, has revealed the rationale behind the decision for the Italian to skip all preparatory tournaments in the lead-up to the 2024 Australian Open.
Sinner achieved remarkable success in the latter half of the 2023 season, winning his maiden ATP Masters 1000 title at the Canadian Open and securing victories at the ATP 500 events in Beijing and Vienna. He also reached the ATP Finals final and led Italy to the Davis Cup title.
Following the intense conclusion to his season, the 22-year-old opted for a less hectic preseason. He traveled to Carlos Alcaraz's coach Juan Carlos Ferrero's academy in Spain and enjoyed a joint practice session with the Spaniard.
Subsequently, the Italian took a break from the court and headed to his hometown of San Candido in South Tyrol for Christmas. While there, he indulged his love for skiing by hitting the slopes on the Kronplatz – a mountain of the Dolomites.
Jannik Sinner's absence from competitive tennis is set to continue, as he is not scheduled to play any tournaments ahead of the Australian Open. His coach, Darren Cahill, recently revealed that this decision was taken to protect the 22-year-old's mental and physical health.
"The Davis Cup made the difference: 5 more matches in Malaga, the competitive season ended on 26 November. With joy, but further than we thought. We considered not stressing Jannik Sinner with a tournament before Melbourne to protect his mind and body," he told Italian publication Corriere Della Serra.
Cahill also disclosed that he had adopted a similar strategy when he coached Andre Agassi. The Australian asserted that employing this approach would grant Sinner more recovery time and the chance to start fresh.
"It is the strategy that, in the five years that I coached him, I used with Agassi. This way he has more margin for recovery, and skiing these days in South Tyrol, in moderation, is an integral part of the boy's well-being. Starting fresh will be crucial," he added.
Darren Cahill coached Andre Agassi from 2002 until the American's retirement in 2006. Under Cahill's tutelage, Agassi won his eighth and final Grand Slam title at the 2003 Australian Open.
Jannik Sinner's coach Darren Cahill sheds light on his schedule for 2024 season
In the same interview, Darren Cahill also shed light on Jannik Sinner's jam-packed schedule for the 2024 season, with the Italian expected to participate in all four Grand Slams, nine Masters 1000 events, the Davis Cup and the Paris Olympics.
"In 2024 we want the same problems to be solved: playing a lot to win a lot, stabilizing ourselves at the top. He (Jannik Sinner) will be at the four Slams, the 9 Master 1000s, the Davis Cup and the Olympics," he said.
"There isn't much room for maneuver in the planning, maybe the details will change: Madrid will play and not Barcelona. The ATP 250? It is not excluded: they are useful for managing the pressure as a favourite. Every tournament is a lesson to learn from, and Jannik is a sponge," he added.
Cahill also revealed that it was Sinner's desire to compete in the Olympics, and he had received support from his coaching team due to the prestige of the global sporting event.
"From Jannik, and we willingly supported him. Representing your country every four years, at the Olympics, as part of a national team: a special experience. It will take away an important human adventure, of great growth, as happened in Davis," he said.