Magnus Norman Breaks His Silence: First Message to Jannik Sinner
Jannik Sinner bids farewell to Darren Cahill and turns the page: the Italian’s next coach, who will work alongside the re-confirmed Simone Vagnozzi, will be Magnus Norman. The Swedish coach, who for years worked alongside Stan Wawrinka, helping him win three Grand Slam titles at the height of the Big Three era, has broken his silence by sending out his first message regarding his new role.
“First and foremost, I have enormous respect for the work that Darren Cahill and the entire team have done with Jannik over the years. They’ve done an incredible job, and I feel privileged to have the opportunity to build on what they’ve accomplished,” he said in a statement.
“Jannik is obviously already one of the best players in the world, but what excites me most are his personality and his mindset. He’s still young, very humble, and incredibly eager to learn and improve, despite everything he’s already accomplished. For me, that’s exactly what makes working with him so exciting. I can’t wait to be part of his team and to contribute in every way possible to his continued development.”
Founder of the Good to Great Tennis Academy, Norman was ranked number two in the world as a player, coming close to winning Roland Garros in 2000, when he lost the final to Kuerten. He is among the most highly regarded coaches on the planet.
Born on May 30, 1976, in Filipstad, Norman turned professional in 1995. Also in 2000, in addition to the final in Paris and the semifinal at the Australian Open—which earned him his highest ranking—he won the Italian Open in Rome, the most prestigious singles title of his career. In total, he won twelve ATP titles and, in 1998, the Davis Cup with Sweden, defeating Italy in the final. Physical problems and several hip surgeries eventually forced him to retire at the end of 2004.
As a coach, Norman first guided his compatriots Thomas Johansson and Robin Söderling, leading the latter to two consecutive finals at Roland Garros, a victory over Rafael Nadal in Paris in 2009, and a career-high ranking of No. 4. Since 2013, he has worked with Wawrinka, guiding him to titles at the 2014 Australian Open, the 2015 French Open, and the 2016 U.S. Open, as well as to the No. 3 ranking in the world. In 2016, he was named Coach of the Year by the ATP, and in 2011, he founded the Good to Great Tennis Academy together with Mikael Tillstrom and Nicklas Kulti.
