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Italian holds 55-5 record on year
September 16, 2024
Jannik Sinner has added to his team.
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Jannik Sinner has added to his team.
By ATP Staff
Jannik Sinner has added fitness coach Marco Panichi and physiotherapist Ulises Badio to his team ahead of the Asian swing. The No. 1 player in the PIF ATP Rankings, who won his second major title at the US Open earlier this month, broke the news on social media on Monday.

Panichi and Badio had their first session with Sinner on Monday in Monte-Carlo, where the Italian is practising. They will then travel with Sinner to the ATP 500 event in Beijing (which begins 26 September) and the ATP Masters 1000 tournament in Shanghai next month. The 23-year-old will continue to work with osteopath Andrea Cipolla during the upcoming Asian swing.

Sinner holds a 55-5 record on the year according to Infosys Win/Loss Index, having won a Tour-leading six titles. The 23-year-old Italian, who climbed to World No. 1 in June, became the first player to qualify for the Nitto ATP Finals earlier this year.

Panichi and Badio both join the Sinner camp having worked with 24-time major champion Novak Djokovic in the past.

Panichi worked with Djokovic from 2017 until May this year, when the Serbian ended his partnership with the Italian. Badio left the Djokovic camp at the end of 2022 after more than five years together.

Czech worked with former World No. 4 for 18 months
September 16, 2024
Tomas Berdych and Jiri Lehecka together at Wimbledon in 2023.
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Tomas Berdych and Jiri Lehecka together at Wimbledon in 2023.
By ATP Staff
Jiri Lehecka has parted with coach Tomas Berdych after 18 months. The 22-year-old Czech announced the news on social media on Monday.

Lehecka started with countryman Berdych at Monte-Carlo last year, with the former No. 4 in the PIF ATP Rankings helping guide Lehecka to his maiden tour-level title in Adelaide in January.


“As of today, by mutual agreement, I have ended my cooperation with Tomas Berdych, with whom I have been working since the Monte-Carlo 2023 tournament,” Lehecka wrote in Czech on social media. “Our paths are not diverging, though. We will continue to work with Tomas within the Davis Cup team. I wish him much success and many victories in his new role as the Davis Cup team captain.

“My team otherwise remains the same, with coach Michal Navratil, fitness coach Radek Stepanek, and physiotherapist Carlos Manuel Baptista Carvalho. The general manager of the team is Roman Vik and the agent is Pierre Christen.”

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Berdych was announced on Sunday as the new Davis Cup captain for Czechia.

Lehecka was sidelined from April until August this year due to a stress fracture in his vertebra but returned to reach the third round in Cincinnati and at the US Open.

American coach prides himself on developing a player both on and off the court
September 16, 2024
Craig Boynton has been coaching professionally since 1993.
ATP
Craig Boynton has been coaching professionally since 1993.
By ATP Staff
Returning to the London apartment he was sharing with coach Craig Boynton after finally closing out his epic 11-hour Wimbledon victory over Nicolas Mahut in 2010, John Isner was feeling good about life.

“I actually felt okay physically, not knowing I was going to feel awful the next day,” Isner recounted to ATPTour.com this week. “So I told CB, ‘I feel like a million dollars’.”

“Yeah, in quarters,” Boynton quipped back, knowing full well that the 70-68 fifth-set victory would take a toll.

“And he was right. I did feel like a million dollars in quarters the next day, just awful,” Isner laughed. “He is so witty; he is one of the wittiest guys I know. He always has a quick quip to come back at you with. Ask anyone, the guy is hilarious.”

Boynton, one of the most respected voices in the game who is also known for his Santa Claus beard and congenial personality, is the subject of ATPTour.com’s ATP Coach Spotlight this month.

Boynton’s life has been intertwined with tennis since his collegiate days at Clemson University. After a brief professional playing career, Boynton found his true calling in coaching — a path he’s been on for more than 30 years — while working with some of the biggest names in the sport.

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Boynton has built a decorated career, mentoring players such as Jim Courier, Mardy Fish, and Isner.

Most recently, the American coach spent five-and-a-half years working with Hubert Hurkacz before the two amicably parted ways a few weeks ago.

“It’s been a labour of love — if that, not even a labour. It’s just been a lot of joy, getting to know these great people and helping these great players,” Boynton reflected of his coaching journey.

Boynton’s first real coaching break came in 1993, when he started working with Courier.

“With Jim, I was the traveling coach, and he brought a whole different level to the Tour,” Boynton said of working with the former World No. 1.

Boynton was particularly impressed by the American’s fitness and drive.

“I can remember Jim saying at the time: 'Anybody can win a five-set match,'” Boynton said. “I’m the only one that can win the same five-set match tomorrow. I was able to see that firsthand, and he was an amazing competitor, an amazing worker.”

After a few years coaching Courier, Boynton moved to Tampa Bay, Florida, in 2007 to head the tennis programme at Saddlebrook Tennis Academy.

At Saddlebrook, Boynton crossed paths with Isner, a 22-year-old American just beginning to make a name for himself. By March 2009, Isner sought out help from Boynton, who eagerly accepted.

“I had the luxury of knowing John for about two years before we started working together,” Boynton said. “I was able to watch him, see his game develop. I knew him, and we got along well. It was really fun watching him impose his presence and come into his own in 2009 and 2010.”

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Isner was well outside the Top 100 when the two began.

By the end of the year, he had surged more than 100 spots in the PIF ATP Rankings and made his first Round of 16 appearance at the US Open.

“He can adapt with the player for sure,” Isner said of Boynton’s coaching. “He was so instrumental in my success, getting me from outside the Top 100 to the Top 20, where I never left for a long time. I started working with CB and made my jump to the top tier of the game.”

Boynton’s jovial attitude and holistic coaching approach, which balances who the player is both on and off the court, was beneficial for Isner.

“For me in particular, he would know when to push me and when to scale back,” said Isner, who in his post-career activities co-hosts the Nothing Major podcast with Steve Johnson, Sam Querrey and Jack Sock. “He knew me, he listened to me. His work ethic is incredible, and he loves being on the court and always makes practice fun.”

Under Boynton’s three-year tenure, Isner reached his first Grand Slam quarter-final, made an ATP Masters 1000 final, and cracked the Top 10 for the first time in his career.

After his time with Isner, Boynton took on a role as a USTA Player Development coach, working with players like Donald Young and Sock.

Then, in 2019, Boynton began coaching Poland’s Hubert Hurkacz.




When the two began working together, Hurkacz was just inside the Top 100. Under Boynton’s guidance, he reached his first Grand Slam semi-final, won two ATP Masters 1000 titles, and in August of this year, hit a career-high World No. 6.

“Hubi and I had five and a half great years. It was a wonderful ride,” Boynton said. “I understand these professional relationships will come to an end, but I’m proud of how close I still am with the players I’ve coached.

“I think one thing I’ll take away from my time with Hubi is how meaningful it was to work with a European player for five and a half years as an American coach. That doesn’t happen often, and I’m proud of both the relationship we built and the success we had together.”

Hurkacz shared the same sentiment as his former coach.

“One-of-a-kind ride! Grateful for all we have achieved as a team! Thank you, CB,” Hurkacz wrote on his Instagram story with a candid photo of the two sharing smiles on the court.

Boynton continues to love coaching and takes pride in knowing he’s making a positive impact on his players both on and off the court.

While he doesn’t envision himself stepping away from coaching, he’s looking forward to spending more time with family and travelling to the places he hasn’t already covered as part of his coaching journey.