Sinner's Coach Reveals His Obsession With Alcaraz After Wimbledon Win

Wednesday, 16 July 2025 at 10:25

byJordan Reynolds

Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz have played some of the best tennis matches of recent years, but the ATP world No. 1 does not just think about his rival during those battles.

Sinner ended a five-match losing streak (excluding the Six Kings Slam Exhibition) against Alcaraz by winning the Wimbledon final in four sets after being better on serve and more consistent from the baseline.

Alcaraz and Sinner have pushed each other to improve, something both men acknowledge. That has helped the pair claim the last seven Grand Slams since the start of 2024, four of which went to the Italian.

Sinner being inspired by Alcaraz is not confined to their own matches. In a press conference after Wimbledon, his coach Darren Cahill admitted the 23-year-old watches Alcaraz play more than anyone else.

"Jannik watches more Carlos matches than he does anybody else. Because he’s fascinated with the improvements coming in his game. And he’s pushing us as coaches to make sure that he’s improving also as a tennis player. The rivalry is real. It’s there. Hopefully it’s going to be there and real for the next 10 or 12 years."

Those words from Cahill provide a fascinating insight into Sinner's winning mentality. Despite already being so good, he consistently looks for ways to get even better, including watching his most significant rival for Grand Slams.

Cahill's revelation is not too surprising. Sinner and Alcaraz share possibly the best relationship ever seen by the two top men's players in tennis. Both mentioned their affinity for each other after the Wimbledon final.

Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal were known for having a mutual respect and good relations off the court, but even they had flare-ups, such as Federer complaining about his rival's slow play after one of their Australian Open matches.

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The respect between Federer and Nadal ultimately morphed into the friendship they currently enjoy. Although how their relationship evolves remains to be seen, how well Sinner and Alcaraz get along, already, aged 23 and 22 respectively, is quite unique.

There have been many heated rivalries in tennis history, such as John McEnroe vs. Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras vs. Andre Agassi, and the early years of Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic. The ill-feeling in those matchups meant those involved might never have wanted to watch their rival in action.

Cahill was set to step away from Sinner's team at the end of this season. However, after the Wimbledon final, the four-time Grand Slam champion's remarks indicated that the Australian could stay involved.

Simone Vagnozzi and Cahill have been Sinner's coaches since July 2022. Under their guidance, he went from being a promising player near the top to being the No. 1-ranked player since the end of the 2024 French Open 13 months ago.

Losing Cahill could be devastating for Sinner after the affinity he has built with him. Although the 59-year-old may not travel as much in 2026, Sinner's comments about the topic make it seem more likely than unlikely that he will stay on as a coach.