Eubanks backs Magnus Norman as Jannik Sinner's new coach after Cahill exit
Chris Eubanks calls Magnus Norman a perfect fit to replace Darren Cahill as Jannik Sinner's coach and discusses how the team could change.
A new coach after Cahill
Darren Cahill's departure from Jannik Sinner's team had long seemed likely, and Sinner has already moved to fill the gap by hiring Magnus Norman as his new coach. The decision has been widely welcomed in the tennis community, and American pundit Chris Eubanks is among those who think it makes sense.
The legendary Australian coach had worked with the 24-year-old for four years. Together they won 24 of Sinner's 30 ATP titles, including all five of his Grand Slam crowns. Cahill is now planning to retire. Sinner and Norman were close to partnering in 2022, when Cahill was hired, and they have now finally united.
Eubanks sees a 'perfect mix'
Speaking on the Big T podcast, Eubanks described the pairing as a "perfect mix" and said that when he saw the news, it made "tons of sense". Asked who could fill the void Cahill will leave, he said that, off the top of his head, Norman was the ideal choice.
Eubanks noted that Cahill and Norman are both calm, relaxed and positive people to be around. He pointed to Norman's work with Stan Wawrinka, saying Norman had helped change parts of Wawrinka's game, including his return, and turned him into a physically strong player able to sustain long, consistent rallies. Eubanks said that is something Sinner already does.
What could change
Eubanks suggested Norman is unlikely to copy Cahill's style, but will try to fill the same role. He said Cahill had described Simone Vagnozzi, one of Sinner's existing coaches, as the more technical member of the team, focused on areas such as the serve or backhand, while Cahill himself was more tactical and helped keep Sinner in a good frame of mind. Eubanks expected Norman to avoid overloading Sinner with technical detail and to offer tactical guidance instead.
Eubanks said he would be interested to see whether any tactical or technical adjustments emerge with Sinner, but he did not expect many. "When he's healthy, he's arguably the best player in the world," he said, which is why he tended to think changes would be limited.