Jannik Sinner has received enormous praise from his coach Darren Cahill, who compared him to tennis greats Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander.
The 22-year-old Italian has enjoyed his best season on tour in which he won his first Masters 1000 title in Toronto and ascended to a career-high ranking of World No. 4. Sinner's stellar year culminated with a historic Davis Cup triumph which catapulted him into Italian tennis folklore.
His coach Cahill has witnessed Sinner's development at a soaring pace in 2023. In an interview with Corriere dello Sport, the 58-year-old highlighted Sinner's adaptability as his greatest strength and something that has impressed him the most.
Cahill drew parallels to the careers of Bjorg and Wilander, former Grand Slams champions. While Sinner is still relatively young and in the early phase of his career, the Australian believes he is already mature at his age because of his vast intelligence and competitive abilities.
"His greatest virtue is his ability to adapt to all types of situations and he is a very mature boy for his age, in that sense he reminds me a little of how Borg and Wilander managed the pressure. He is always smiling, he is very intelligent and competitive, in addition to generating a very good atmosphere wherever he goes."
A few seasons ago, several pundits and fans felt Sinner needed to make subtle improvements to his game to become an elite player. Cahill, who has been working with Sinner since June 2022, has noted that his protege has incorporated those technical changes to his game.
Cahill is not surprised and has singled out Sinner's refined forehand and improvised backhand slice as two key shots in his game. He went as far as saying that it is the "most impressive thing" he has seen in his coaching career.
"I'm not surprised by the level at which he has played in the last two weeks of the season because I know that he loves this sport and how he works."
"He has learned a lot in the last two years, and his improvement has been evident in some shots as well, such as example, the sliced backhand. He has also polished things on his forehand, which is one of the most impressive I have seen in my career."
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