Jannik Sinner's ex-tennis coach makes 'I know why' admission as he breaks silence on split

Riccardo Piatti, the coach who helped shape Jannik Sinner's journey from a talented teen to an elite competitor, has broken his silence on their 2022 breakup. Speaking to , the seasoned Italian coach looked back on their seven-year partnership, which ended when Sinner was 20, and offered a rare insight into what led to their split.

Piatti, who began mentoring Sinner at just 13, acknowledged that the departure left him emotionally unsettled. "After Jannik, I admit I had a few months of confusion," he admitted. "I stopped living the life of others - 52 weeks a year on the road, family revolving around the player's needs."

Now 66, Piatti didn't hesitate to confront the circumstances behind their separation. "He had a grudge against me for things on the pitch," he revealed.

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"It's a normal dynamic between coach and player. I always wanted Jannik to be independent; I knew that one day, he would leave. But with him, I had to be a strict, sometimes rigid coach - that was my role."

It's a responsibility he defends to this day. When questioned about whether he'd take the same stern approach again, Piatti was firm: "Yes. It was the only way to get to the top."

That firm guidance paid off. With Piatti at his side, Sinner evolved from a gifted up-and-comer to a contender on the biggest stages, setting the stage for future victories, including a trio of Grand Slam trophies. "In Jannik and his Slams, I see a lot of the work we did together," Piatti noted, acknowledging the team effort while avoiding claims of sole responsibility.

Though they've gone their separate ways, Piatti remains firmly optimistic about Sinner's future. With Sinner currently without a coach and eyeing a comeback after related to the Clostebol incident, Piatti sees a strong return on the horizon.

"He'll be strong right away," he said. "I really believe he can do the Grand Slam this year. The suspension has extended his life - he'll arrive fresh and motivated."

Three years removed from his "divorce" with Sinner, Piatti says he's now in a better place. He has returned to his roots, coaching young prospects at the acclaimed Piatti Tennis Centre in Bordighera, located near the French border.

"Tennis is still at the top of my thoughts," he said. "Now, I pursue the dreams of children."

Sinner, now 23, has held the World No. 1 ranking for 10 months. He claimed his first major by winning the Australian Open last year, and capped the season by triumphing at the US Open. This January, he retained his Australian Open crown, defeating Alexander Zverev in straight sets in the final.

In February, he was suspended for three months after testing positive for Clostebol in 2024. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accepted his explanation for the result but maintained that "an athlete bears responsibility for the entourage's negligence".

Several top players criticised the ruling, including , who stated during a press conference at the 2025 Open that "the majority of the players feel like there is favouritism happening".