He is a very instinctive player, but we need to make him more consistent," Marco Panichi opens up about his collaboration with Rune
Former fitness trainer for Djokovic (2017-2024), Marco Panichi also joined Sinner's team in September 2024, before the well-known doping incident. Fired by the Italian just days before Wimbledon this year, the 36-year-old didn't take long to bounce back, as he is now part of the staff of world No. 11 Rune.
In an interview shared by Tennis World Italia, Panichi explained in detail his working methods, while also specifying what he plans to do with the Dane:
"My job is to tailor a program around the athlete I have to follow. Even though the sport is the same, they are all very different human machines. When I started with Novak, he was 30 years old, so he already had a mature physique, whereas today I find myself working with Holger, a young 22-year-old player who needs something completely different.
The beauty of this job is precisely that: adapting to the person and their needs. With Holger, we are still getting to know each other, as well as with the rest of the team. The first period is one of observation and communication; there is an exchange of ideas and opinions with the entire team.
I go on the court with him, I try to understand his physical characteristics, his strengths and weaknesses. At the same time, I believe it is important to establish a relationship of trust and small motivational keys to stimulate the player.
The first impression of the relationship is always the most important; you have to be honest and say what you think right away. For me, that is one of the fundamental keys. He is a very instinctive player, but now we need to make him more consistent and more aware of many things.
He has great potential. So far, he has played a very instinctive style of tennis and has already done excellent work. Now we need to try to support him by developing a game that goes beyond instinct and expanding his technical repertoire.
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