'I want to take him to Rafael Nadal' - Jannik Sinner's coach

Italian tennis coach Riccardo Piatti feels his ward - 18-year-old rising star Jannik Sinner - should train with 19-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal in the near future. In Piatti's opinion, this is the best time for Sinner to practise with the legendary Spaniard because there are no tournaments happening right now.

During his appearance on the show Tennis Space on SportFace, Piatti disclosed the training regimen of Italy's newest tennis sensation amid the lockdown. The former coach of Novak Djokovic stated that he regularly gets Sinner to play with Alexei Popyrin and Stefanos Tsitsipas, as they hit big and with a lot of spin.

However, Piatti's ultimate desire is that the 73rd-ranked Sinner engages in some training sessions with Rafael Nadal.

How training with Rafael Nadal could improve Jannik Sinner's game

Jannik Sinner

Rafael Nadal has an aggressive behind-the-baseline playing style; he covers the entire court, and his full western grip forehand makes the forehand his most robust weapon. Nadal is practically unbeatable on clay, and the chief reason behind that is how manages to combine handcuffing offense with relentless consistency.

The left-hander commits very few errors off either wing, and tends grind out long rallies before hitting winners into the open court.

A young player like Jannik Sinner could improve his game a lot by simulating training matches against Rafael Nadal. The consistency required to put the ball past Nadal is something that Sinner lacks right now, and the best way to learn it is to take the bull by the horns.

Besides, Rafael Nadal's success relies greatly on his heavy, high-bouncing groundstrokes. The 18-year-old Sinner would also get a taste of the famed Nadal topspin when he trains with the Spaniard, so that he can try to prepare himself for such a challenge on the tour.

Rafael Nadal has a unique set of moves

Riccardo Piatti said that he has already spoken to Rafael Nadal's coach Carlos Moya on this matter. Despite the fact that Sinner regularly trains with the best of the young players - and might also get to hit with a few older ones, like Stan Wawrinka - Piatti is most keen on the Nadal experience.

"I take him from time to time to play with (Alexei) Popyrin and (Stefanos) Tsitsipas," Piatti said. "Now (Alexander) Zverev and (Stan) Wawrinka will also be arriving on Monte Carlo. I already spoke to (Carlos) Moya because I want to take him to Nadal.

"Since there are no tournaments, I try to simulate training matches with great players," Piatti added.

Jannik Sinner hopes to become World No. 1 some day

Jannik Sinner

Jannik Sinner is one of the most talented youngsters on the circuit, and has been touted for great things in the future. stated that his ultimate goal is to become the best tennis player on the planet. The 18-year-old turned pro in 2018 and recently competed against World No. 5 Daniil Medvedev in Marseille.

Sinner is very clear about what he wants from his tennis career. "I want to become World No. 1," he had stated earlier.

The Sexton-based player claimed his first top 10 win against David Goffin at the Rotterdam Open this year. He even took part in the 2020 Australian Open, where he fell short against Hungarian player Marton Fucsovics in the second round.

Sinner's coach Piatti also gave details of the specific areas they've been working on during the lockdown:

"Jannik had a lot of time to work physically. In the field, we worked on the service to increase the rotation of his shoulders."

He further pointed out that the right-handed player needs to become a more efficient hitter and mover if he hopes to climb up the rankings ladder.

"He must have all the rotations and all angles. He has started to become a service player: not always pulling hard, but choosing the area well," Piatti concluded.

With many fans billing Jannik Sinner as the next big thing in tennis, it will be interesting to see if his coach is able to convince Rafael Nadal to train with him during the current break.