Jannik Sinner’s former coach, who worked with the Italian for seven years, has opened up about their professional relationship for the very first time

Jannik Sinner’s former coach has broken his silence after their 2022 split (Image: Getty)

Riccardo Piatti, the man who guided Jannik Sinner from a teenage prodigy to a world-class tennis star, has spoken for the first time about their high-profile split in 2022. In an emotional interview with Corriere della Sera, the Italian reflected on their seven-year partnership, which ended when Sinner was 20, and offered rare insight into the reasons behind their parting.

Piatti, who began coaching Sinner at the age of 13, admitted that the separation left him reeling. “After Jannik, I admit I had a few months of confusion,” he said. “I stopped living the life of others – 52 weeks a year on the road, family revolving around the player’s needs.” The veteran coach, 66, didn’t shy away from addressing the reasons behind the split. “He had a grudge against me for things on the pitch,” Piatti revealed.

“It’s a normal dynamic between coach and player. I always wanted Jannik to be independent; I knew that one day, he would leave. But with him, I had to be a strict, sometimes rigid coach – that was my role.”

It’s a role he stands by, even now. When asked if he’d repeat his tough approach, Piatti was unequivocal: “Yes. It was the only way to get to the top.”

That uncompromising method paid dividends. Under Piatti’s guidance, Sinner rose from a promising junior to a Grand Slam contender, laying the groundwork for his eventual success, including three major titles. “In Jannik and his Slams, I see a lot of the work we did together,” Piatti said, crediting the team that supported them, though he stopped short of claiming sole credit.

Despite their parting, Piatti remains a staunch believer in Sinner’s potential. With the Italian currently without a coach and on the cusp of return to tennis after a three-month hiatus due to the Clostebol case, Piatti predicts a resurgence. “He’ll be strong right away,” he said. “I really believe he can do the Grand Slam this year. The suspension has extended his life – he’ll arrive fresh and motivated.”

Three years on from his “divorce” from Sinner, Piatti says he’s now found peace. He’s returned to his roots, teaching at his renowned Piatti Tennis Centre in Bordighera, near Italy’s border with France, where he nurtures the country’s brightest young talents.

“Tennis is still at the top of my thoughts,” he said. “Now, I pursue the dreams of children.”

Sinner, now 23, has been World No. 1 for the past 10 months. He won his first major title, the Australian Open, last year, and ended the year by clinching the US Open. In January, he successfully defended his Australian Open, beating Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the final.

In February, he was handed a three month suspension for his 2024 positive test for Clostebol. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted Sinner’s explanation of the positive test, but stated that “an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage’s negligence”.

Many top players were critical of the judgement, including Novak Djokovic who at a press conference at the 2025 Qatar Open claimed that “the majority of the players feel like there is favouritism happening”.