Darren Cahill Likely to Continue As Jannik Sinner’s Coach in 2026 Thanks to Wimbledon Bet: “I’m a Man of My Word”
Jannik Sinner will end the season as the No.1 player if he defends his title at the ATP Finals.
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Darren Cahill, Jannik Sinner (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)
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During the Australian Open earlier this season, Jannik Sinner had revealed that his coach, Darren Cahill, would leave his entourage after this season. It was Cahill’s decision to part ways as he wanted to retire from coaching.
But neither Sinner nor Simone Vagnozzi (Sinner’s other coach) wanted Cahill to leave, with both often revealing how they are trying to convince the Aussie coach to stay. Ahead of Wimbledon, Cahill had placed a bet that if his protege wins, he would stay.
Sinner won the final against Carlos Alcaraz in four sets, and at present, the World No.1 and his team are in Turin for the ATP Finals. In the pre-tournament press conference, when Cahill was asked about his future, his answer indicated that he is likely to continue the partnership.
My future is in Jannik’s hands. I’m a man of my word; we made a bet before Wimbledon final. He will decide what I do next year. If he wants me to stay, I’ll stay.
Darren Cahill said
Cahill and Vagnozzi joined Sinner’s team in 2022, and under guidance, the Italian tennis ace has lifted four Grand Slam titles, became the World No.1, and ended the 2024 season as the year-end No.1 after lifting the ATP Finals. Sinner now has a chance to end two consecutive seasons as the World No.1 player.
The 24-year-old, who was the runner-up in the event back in 2023 (lost to Novak Djokovic), will be playing the season-ending championships as the defending champion. He has 1,500 points to defend. Sinner was dethroned from the No.1 spot by Alcaraz after the US Open final, but on the back of two consecutive wins, at the Vienna Open and Paris Masters, Sinner was successful in reclaiming his ranking.
Alexander Zverev calls Jannik Sinner the best player in the world
It was Alexander Zverev whom Jannik Sinner defeated in the final to take home his second Vienna Open title. Though the match was a tight affair, it wasn’t so in the Australian Open final this year, where Sascha lost in straight sets.
Zverev will be chasing his third title at the ATP Finals and is placed in Group Bjorn Borg, which also includes Sinner. In the pre-tournament press conference, when the three-time Grand Slam runner-up was asked whom he would prefer to play between Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, he picked the latter.
It doesn’t matter, to be honest. Well, it matters, but they are both the best players in the world for sure. But for me, on this particular surface and indoors on a faster hard court, I feel like this court is much faster than Paris. I think Jannik is the best player in the world, and I think if you ask Carlos, Carlos would probably agree.
Alexander Zverev said during the pre-tournament press conference
Zverev trails 4-5 in the head-to-head matchups against Sinner, who trails 5-10 against Alcaraz. The Spaniard has never played the championship match of the ATP Finals.
But also, the last two years with Carlos in one group, I was able to win both of those matches. It’s not like one is here [up here] and the other is there [down low]. I was hoping they were both in the same group as each other, and we could play a different tournament!
Alexander Zverev added
Alcaraz will lock horns with Alex de Minaur to kick-start his campaign. He will also start his bid for his ninth title of the season and his sixth Big Title following wins in Monte Carlo, Rome, Paris, Cincinnati, and New York. Sinner has so far won five titles from nine finals.
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