Team Sinner on a mission to retain uber-coach

Jannik Sinner and mentor Simone Vagnozzi are hoping to persuade the team’s top coach Darren Cahill to abandon his planned retirement at the end of the year and stick with the team.

The Australian who has guided former greats Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Simona Halep and Sinner to world No. 1 status over the last three decades could possibly be influenced to sack his plans to hang up his career.

Italian Vagnozzi has been working alongside Cahill during the rise to the top of the 23-year-old player from Italy’s Italian-speaking Alto Adige region 

While Vagnozzi could handle the job alone, he prefers the Aussie’s no-drama management of the team effort .

“I would be able to do it on my own, but with players of this level it’s important to have another viewpoint,” he said at this week’s start of the Rome Masters as  Sinner returns from a three-month disciplinary ban for inadvertent doping..

“It’s important to sometimes split up the weeks you spend with the player. Otherwise it’s a 365-day a year job and that’s a bit much.”

The Italian added: “I’m hoping that Darren stays on for another five years, because we have such a great relationship.

“He might be the best coach ever in terms of results and other factors – but most of all, he’s a special person.”

Sinner will play his first match since winning a second Australian Open title in late January. The top seed at the Foro Italico will start this weekend in the second round against Argentine Mariano Navone.

Main photo:- Darren Cahill coached Andre Agassi to World No.1- by Roger Parker ISF Ltd