Mental coach, 'Sinner wins because he has fun on the pitch, an example for the kids'

One of the secrets of the victories of Jannik Sinner, first finalist of the Australian Open, “is his attitude: today he has more fun when he plays and this is the basis. He laughs and jokes more, he is not as serious as a few years ago. 'example for the kids.” This is what Orlando Cetta, sports mental coach in Rome, told Adnkronos Salute. “The point – he continues – is that he does it regardless of the opponent”. Today it was Novak Djokovic, another champion who has made psychological strength one of his additional weapons. “This aspect is the part that must be worked on with all the kids even before teaching competitiveness”, suggests Cetta. “Being able to have fun in sport must come before the result, it must be a starting point – he warns – and to do this there are different strategies, but achieving victory while having fun is a fundamental weapon. Maybe on the outside it seems like you don't do things seriously, but that's not the case.”

“Beating Nole Djokovic three times in the space of a few months – recalls Cetta – someone who has more experience and has trained the mental aspect more, demonstrates the leap that Sinner has made at just 22 years old, also making clear choices such as the change of coach”. Today Sinner's victories and his attitude on and off the pitch “can help many kids – observes the mental coach – A 22 year old who chose tennis by going against the grain with the most popular sport in his area, skiing, demonstrates the strength of will, but also the need to compete with a discipline which, unlike skiing, allows you to make a few more mistakes: therefore you have an extra margin to achieve victory. In short, he chose the most congenial thing for him” . How can we work on this aspect? “As children you can understand your own nature – replies Cetta – The kids must have the freedom to choose and the family, see also the case of Sinner, has a fundamental role in supporting without jumping in and judging the team's work Parents must always be there, but remain in their place.”

Does the help of a mental coach last for your entire career? “He is a figure who was born in tennis 25-30 years ago, Agassi already speaks in his autobiography 'Open' – concludes Cetta – But he remains a figure in the shadows and little publicized. It is a support for the professional that can last for a certain period and return cyclically, but we must provide tools to make the alter become autonomous”.