Novak Djokovic reveals why he gave advice to Jannik Sinner and names player who helped him

Ewan West
Pictured: Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner
Novak Djokovic with Jannik Sinner inset

Novak Djokovic has explained why he chose to help Jannik Sinner by giving the Italian feedback as he revealed the one player who gave him advice early in his career.

Sinner’s coach Darren Cahill has shared what Djokovic said to him about Sinner‘s game after the Serbian defeated the Italian 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 in the quarter-finals at Wimbledon in 2022.

Speaking on the Served with Andy Roddick podcast in June, Cahill divulged that he asked Djokovic for his thoughts on Sinner’s game after that Wimbledon match.

“I saw Novak, and he’s always great with this, he’s always been incredible when you tap him on the shoulder,” the Australian recalled.

“And I said, ‘Hey listen, I’ve just started with Jannik, don’t tell me anything you don’t want to tell me, but can I ask what you were feeling out there?’ And he was incredible.

“He basically said, ‘Hey listen. Good luck with working with him. Hits the ball great, but there’s no variation. So you know, there’s no shape on his shot. There’s no height over the net. Doesn’t come to the net. He’s not trying to bring me in, I know that he returns well, but he’s not attacking my serve on the return of serve.

“So he went through his whole game and broke it down. It wasn’t like it was revelations to what we didn’t know about Jannik and what we were trying to change in his game.

“But when you take that conversation and sit down with a young man like Jannik Sinner and say, ‘Hey, listen, I just spoke to Novak and this is what he thinks’, that leaves a big impression on a young player. So for Jannik, it’s: ‘Right, give it to me. Let’s start doing these changes’.”

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In an interview with an Italian journalist at the Six Kings Slam, Djokovic was asked why he gave feedback to Sinner and whether any players had done the same for him.

“Of the greatest rivals? No, nobody has done it for me,” the 24-time major champion said (translated from Italian).

“Only when I was young and we had the same coach; Ivan Ljubicic, who was No 3 in the world, and in this part of my career, I was top 100. I had the same coach as him, Riccardo Piatti, in Italy. But others? No.

“Why did I do it? I did because I create that… it’s something that is natural. Something that for me is logical. If somebody asks me something, I have to be honest… and, for me, of course.

“I understand that others maybe don’t want to share. However, for me it is a pleasure.”

Djokovic’s words come after he revealed he wants a player to break his records in the future.

Sinner holds a 6-4 record against Djokovic having won the pair’s last five matches, including wins in three Grand Slam semi-final meetings since the start of 2024.

The world No 2 earned a dominant 6-4, 6-2 win in his semi-final clash with Djokovic at the 2025 Six Kings Slam exhibition on Thursday.

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