“The moment I stepped on court with Andre Agassi, it was all business”: Jannik Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill on American’s desire to improve even at 32

Darren Cahill, the coach of Jannik Sinner, has commented on Andre Agassi’s commitment to continuous improvement, even at the age of 32.

Despite being a former ATP World No. 22 in singles and World No. 10 in doubles, Cahill had to end his playing career in 1995 due to ongoing knee issues. However, he smoothly transitioned into coaching and has since mentored top players such as Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Murray, Ana Ivanovic, and Simona Halep.

In July 2022, Cahill became a member of the Sinner’s coaching team, and his influence on the Italian has been significant. With the guidance of Cahill and Simone Vagnozzi, Sinner has transformed from a promising player to a dominant force in the world of tennis.

In the current year, the Italian player achieved his first Grand Slam victory by winning the Australian Open. Sinner has additionally claimed the Rotterdam Open title and most recently, the Miami Open. His triumph in Miami has propelled him to the position of World No. 2, overtaking Carlos Alcaraz.

After Sinner’s victory at the Miami Open, Cahill addressed the media about Agassi’s determination to improve his game even at the age of 32, when the Australian became his coach.

“I had a chance to work with Agassi when he was 32 years of age. The moment I stepped on the court with Andre, it was all business and he wanted to become better as a tennis player at 32, better than he was at 22,”Cahill said.

Darren Cahill: The Coach Behind Andre Agassi’s Final Grand Slam Victory

Upon becoming a part of Andre Agassi’s coaching team, Cahill guided the 32-year-old to victory at the 2003 Australian Open, which would mark Agassi’s final Grand Slam win. In Melbourne, the American defeated Rainer Schuttler in straight sets to claim the title.

In the same year, Agassi reclaimed the title of World No. 1. He held this ranking at the age of 33 years and 13 days, making him the oldest player since the inception of the ATP ranking system to achieve this feat.

Cahill played an important role in Agassi’s successful campaigns at the 2004 Cincinnati Open, where he claimed the title, and the 2005 US Open, where he reached the final but ultimately lost to Roger Federer. When Agassi was announced as an inductee into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2011, Cahill wrote a heartfelt tribute to the American. At that time, Cahill was employed as an analyst for ESPN.

“He (Agassi) achieved all he set out to in the game, and sits in elite company with some of the all-time greats who have won all four major titles. He was one of the few athletes in any sport that had the ability to transcend the game. He could move a tennis story away from the sports pages and onto the front pages with something as simple as arriving at an event,”Cahill wrote (via ESPN).