Jannik Sinner claims he will convince ‘second father’ Darren Cahill to stay in his corner | ATP Tour
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Sinner says he will convince ‘second father’ Cahill to stay in his corner
World No. 2 looks back on season ahead of ATP 500 in Vienna
October 20, 2025
Hu Chengwei/Getty Images
Jannik Sinner was forced to withdraw from the third round of his recent Tour event in Shanghai.
Written by ATP Staff
Jannik Sinner admits one of the biggest challenges he faces at the end of the 2025 season may not be the bat in his hands, but the conversation.
The 24-year-old said he is ready to do whatever it takes to convince coach Darren Cahill to stay with him next season as he prepares for the First Bank Vienna Open.
“To be honest, we haven’t talked yet. We said we’re going to finish the year and then we’ll probably ask him to have a long chat to try to convince him,” Sinner told ATP Media with a smile on Monday. “But regardless, whether he stays or not, he’s a great guy and obviously a coach for me who can bring the whole team together in difficult moments.
“He’s like a second dad to me, so I’m glad he’s here. It’s a huge privilege to work with him. We’re aiming for some very positive things [for him to stay]I need a lot of hope for this. “
Sinner confirmed in January that 2025 would be his last year working with the Australian coach, who has been in his box since 2022.
Sinner has a 43-6 record at the tour level this year, highlighted by wins at the Australian Open and Wimbledon, according to the Infosys ATP Win-Loss Index. He also became just the fourth man in the Open Era to reach the finals of all four major events – a success he owes in part to Cahill.
“The results have been amazing, so I’m going to work hard to make that happen for my own welfare,” Sinner said when asked how he convinced Cahill to stay. “So I needed that. He was important because I saw the effort he put in, working with a 24-year-old kid who had flown all over the world and put in a lot of hard work.
“He’s got a family, he’s got a lot, a lot of important things to do off the field and for him to manage that and always put me first, it’s great and I’m pretty sure we can, we can do some really positive things.”
Sinner was forced to withdraw in the third round of his title defense in Shanghai and hopes to make a quick recovery this week. He begins his campaign on Wednesday at the ATP 500 event in Vienna, where the top seed takes on Germany’s Daniel Altmaier, who holds a 2-1 lead in the Lexus ATP Head2Head Series.
Sinner last appeared in Vienna in 2023, beating Daniil Medvedev in the final to win the title in a thriller that lasted three hours and six minutes.
“I thought I had a really good year, winning two Grand Slams and making finals in the other two biggest tournaments we have, most recently winning the Beijing Olympics,” Sinner said of his season. “Last week[s] It was a huge boost to my confidence and most importantly to me, mentally being in the right way, in the right place. I’m very happy and grateful for this. I feel great now. “
Sinner has already locked up a spot at the Nitto ATP Finals, where he will aim to claim a spot in his bid to regain the ATP’s year-end No. 1 ranking awarded by the PIF. He currently trails rival Carlos Alcaraz by 2,640 points at the PIF ATP Live Event in Turin.
