\n<\/p>\n
Jannik Sinner plans to return from injury at an exhibition event in December to prepare for the Australian Open and believes the enforced layoff has changed his attitude towards tennis.<\/p>\n
Sinner has not played since July when he beat Alexander Zverev in the Wimbledon final. He withdrew from the U.S. Open because of a right knee injury.<\/p>\n
Ongoing problems with the knee delayed the 25-year-old\u2019s return and he announced last month his season was over.<\/p>\n
Last week, Zverev took over the No. 1 ranking that Sinner held for 95 weeks.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe aim is to go to Australia, the aim is also maybe to do a couple of tournaments first,\u201d Sinner said at a sponsor event in Milan on Tuesday. \u201cBut I have to respect the protocols at the moment because if we rush things we could have more serious problems.<\/p>\n
\u201cI also only have that information, that I have to work hard every day for that objective and then we\u2019ll see.\u201d<\/p>\n
One of those tournaments is the Six Kings Slam, an exhibition in Saudi Arabia that was postponed until late December because of the conflict in the Middle East.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat (is the target) but we all know the situation what\u2019s there at the moment, which is not the best, so this is not our decision as players, this is a more general decision,\u201d Sinner told The Associated Press.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I think if we want to prepare for Australia (and) I\u2019m not playing since Wimbledon, some matches before might be very helpful.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Six Kings Slam awards money but no ATP ranking points. Sinner won the second edition of the tournament last year.<\/p>\n
The injury layoff has been the longest Sinner has been sidelined for and the five-time Grand Slam winner admits it has been such a difficult period for him that he hasn\u2019t even been able to bring himself to watch much tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey haven\u2019t been easy months, or rather they are not easy months, simply because I miss the competition, I miss going out onto the court, I really miss the thing I love doing: Playing tennis,\u201d Sinner said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut in this very important moment taking care of my body is of the utmost importance, because I want to keep playing for another 10 or 15 years. So, if I end up returning to the court a month later, it doesn\u2019t really change anything from that perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinner believes that when he is finally back on court he will see the sport in a different way.<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore, it almost felt like the most normal thing in the world: You have a tournament, you win it, then you have another, you win it,\u201d the Italian said. \u201cNow, however, I\u2019ve come to truly appreciate what I\u2019ve managed to achieve.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the same time, my desire to win is even stronger, the urge to lift a major trophy \u2014 it\u2019s the most wonderful feeling and the very thing we work so hard for. Previously, I took it all for granted, as if it were just the natural order of things; I hope to experience those emotions again .. and maybe I will enjoy everything even more.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sinner was asked if he had been using the enforced absence from tennis to broaden his horizons or learn a new skill.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo unfortunately, this current period is really difficult because I\u2019m at home, spending practically the entire day \u2014 every day \u2014 on a racing simulator,\u201d said Sinner, who is a huge motorsport fan. \u201cAnd then I head to the gym. When I get back, I jump straight back onto the simulator.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always said that, in the future, you might see me behind the wheel of a race car. I want to get back on the court. It\u2019s the first time I don\u2019t have control, it\u2019s strange and I don\u2019t like it.\u201d<\/p>\n
One major thing Sinner has done during his absence from the court is make a coaching change.<\/p>\n
Sinner announced last week that Darren Cahill will leave and Magnus Norman, former coach of Stan Wawrinka, has been hired to join his coaching team starting next month, working alongside Simone Vagnozzi.<\/p>\n
\u201cMagnus is someone very similar to Darren, though, of course, everyone is different,\u201d Sinner said. \u201cHe\u2019s the type of person who accepts the way we\u2019re already working. That\u2019s important because it\u2019s crucial not to change everything all over again, but rather to focus on that 1% improvement each year to keep growing as a player.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I\u2019ll miss most about Darren is definitely the personal part. We hit it off right from the start, and over time he became almost like a second father to me \u2026 whenever I faced difficult moments he was always one of the first people I would call.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cahill joined Sinner\u2019s team in June 2022 and oversaw the Italian win five Grand Slam titles and achieve the No. 1 ranking.<\/p>\n
He originally planned to step away after the 2025 season.<\/p>\n
Cahill, who was also at the event with Sinner in Milan, highlighted the fact that he wrote on social media back in 2013 that Norman improves every single player he coaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s really important that they have some clean air \u2026 So, no, I\u2019m not going to be lurking next to Jannik over this coming period,\u201d Cahill added. \u201cIt\u2019s really important that I show the respect to Magnus as well, and that he can come in and form his relationship with this team and create his own memories.<\/p>\n
\u201cI wasn\u2019t part of the due diligence that Jannik had in choosing the next coach. That was all him. He chose Magnus, but when he told me that was his choice I gave him a big thumbs up. I could not be more happy for him.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n