Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill, the future seems already decided

Nothing is decided yet, but the signs are all pointing in the same direction: the bond between Jannik Sinner and Darren Cahill is set to continue, even beyond the deadlines already set. Last year it was last year’s Wimbledon victory that allowed the world number 1 to keep the Australian coach with him for this season as well, but for 2027 something different will be needed to convince “Daddy Darren” to stay.

And it is not a matter of money or prestige: the coach, who upon reaching 60 meditated rest or at least a less wandering routine, is too fond of his protégé and coequipier Simone Vagnozzi to leave the team. Plus, the curiosity to see how far the guy he has been coaching for four years now can go is great. Of course, it’s premature now to talk about an imminent renewal, but some signs can be glimpsed.

The one with Vagnozzi is a tandem that works well and also allows both of them to catch their breath now and then. After Doha, the Italian coach returned home for a few weeks, entrusting his Australian colleague with the player for the start of the season on U.S. cement. In Indian Wells there was only Cahill, in Miami Simone also arrived, then remained alone in Monte Carlo. Now the pair has reunited again, with Darren arriving from the United States to complete the season on clay, possibly with a record.

In Madrid, where Sinner is aiming for a fifth consecutive Masters 1000 (a feat never achieved by anyone in tennis history) Cahill returned to the court alongside his protégé after missing the Monte-Carlo tournament. The Australian coach showed up in the stands on court 10 as early as Tuesday, when the Alto Adige native practiced with Francisco Cerúndolo in an intense and well-attended session, with extended exchanges and great attention to technical details. A clear sign that his presence is never casual, but always functional to meticulous preparation.