Piatti Reflects on His Relationship with Sinner: "I Knew One Day He Would Leave"
Suspended since February 9, Sinner will return for the Rome Masters 1000 on May 4.
Meanwhile, Riccardo Piatti, the Italian’s coach for seven years, discusses the end of their collaboration in an interview with *Corriere della Sera*:
"When Jannik and I parted ways, I admit I was in a daze for a few months. Then I refocused on what I love: teaching tennis.
The Piatti Center isn’t a supermarket—it’s a place for growth. I went through it too. It was a mental shift; priorities changed, but tennis is always on my mind. Now, I’m chasing the dreams of young players."
The 66-year-old also spoke about his coaching approach with Sinner:
"Everyone remembers the match against Taro Daniel at the 2022 Australian Open, where he told me, ‘Stay calm…’ He was angry with me over on-court issues, but that had happened before.
It’s a normal dynamic between coach and player. That’s not the problem. I always wanted Jannik to become independent—I knew one day he’d leave.
But with him, I had to be the strict, sometimes rigid coach—that was my role. Ljubicic criticized me for saying, ‘You decide too, Ivan, but then do as I say.’ At a certain point, that role became too heavy to bear.
I’d do it all over again because I believe it’s the only way to reach the top. I had to say no, to set rules. I took him on at 13, and he left at 20. At that point, I felt I had to handle it the way I’m now handling Dhamne."
The Como native also addressed Sinner’s silence toward him in the media:
"It doesn’t bother me. I know him, I know players—how they’re made, how they think. They always look forward, never back. I don’t see it as ingratitude.
Sinner does his job; he doesn’t owe anyone thanks. I also don’t feel there’s anything to clarify with him. Tennis is a sport where ego plays a big role."
