Tathiana Garbin talks about her illness and encourages Jannik Sinner
The captain of the Italian women’s national tennis team, Tathiana Garbin, shared her story at the Rome Film Festival, where a film was presented that goes beyond sports and addresses the topic of illness. Among the protagonists of the documentary film *Vite in campo* (Lives on the Court), directed by Donatella Romani and Roberto Amato, the Italian coach reflected on the most difficult period of her life, marked by the diagnosis of an extremely rare form of abdominal cancer, and also spoke about the situation Jannik Sinner is currently facing, as he has been forced to take a break due to an injury.
“In tennis, you learn to keep a poker face—an iron shell that’s almost impenetrable. Illness, on the other hand, teaches you that you have to know how to ask for help, and when you do, you realize you have genuine people close by who stand by you and support you,” said the Italian captain.
Garbin explained that she has always tried to live life to the fullest, without putting off what really matters. “Sometimes it’s not length that matters, but depth in our lives,” she emphasized, reflecting on the meaning of existence after having to come to terms with her illness.
Her perspective also diverges from the idea of illness as a war to be won at all costs. “I always say that our opponent isn’t our enemy. And if you learn to see it as someone who presents you with a difficult challenge, you can truly take it on with everything you’ve got, and I believe it’s the same with illness: that’s what I’ve tried to do.”
During the interview, Garbin also shared a thought about Jannik Sinner, who is currently sidelined—a setback that has forced him to interrupt a season in which he had been playing tennis at the very highest level. The Italian team captain is well aware of the psychological difficulties that come with an injury, especially when it occurs during a positive streak and forces an athlete to step away from their passion without any certainty about when they’ll be able to return.
“An injury is hard on everyone; it limits your ability to do something you enjoy, something you love—your passion. So it’s not easy to take it in stride,” Garbin explained. Her confidence in the South Tyrolean champion’s abilities, however, remains unshaken. “I believe this young man truly has a wealth of resources; he loves tennis so much that this break could actually rejuvenate him and give him even more motivation to come back stronger.”
