Coach's Final Words to Jannik Sinner Before Wimbledon Final Revealed
Heading into this year's Wimbledon, all eyes were on Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz, the two young stars everyone expected to clash for the title. And now, here they are, set to face off once again in a Grand Slam final, just weeks after their epic showdown at the French Open.
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But if Sinner wants to flip the script this time around and come out on top, his coach, Darren Cahill, knows exactly what needs to happen. In fact, Cahill's final words to Sinner before this huge moment have just come to light, and they might make all the difference.
While speaking to the media ahead of the final, Cahill shared his thoughts on what Sinner needs to do to win his maiden Wimbledon title. Cahill said, 'If he brings his game, brings the power, the speed, it's a bit tougher to be creative on grass. Especially from the back of the court. Jannik has to play aggressive style tennis, if he gets his opportunity… be brave, mix in a little variation if he can, but both guys are so good. A lot will depend on how each player serves. Hopefully Jannik gets off to a good start.'
Just a few weeks ago at the French Open, Carlos Alcaraz pulled off one of the wildest comebacks we've ever seen, clawing his way back from two sets down to beat Jannik Sinner in the longest final Roland Garros has ever hosted.
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Sinner had it right there in his hands, but Alcaraz just refused to quit. Now, here we are at the Wimbledon final, and this match is going to be as much a mental battle as a physical one.
But things haven't exactly gone to plan for Sinner so far at the time of this writing, he's already dropped the first set, which probably isn't what coach Cahill had in mind.
Jannik Sinner of Italy celebrates winning his match against Ben Shelton of the United States at Wimbledon.Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
The big question now is: can Sinner pull off his own comeback, just like Alcaraz did to him in Paris? Well, we'll find out soon enough. Wimbledon drama, anyone?
Related: Novak Djokovic Clarifies Retirement Stance After Wimbledon Loss to Jannik Sinner
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.

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USA Today
31 minutes ago
- USA Today
Rory McIlroy ready to 'control that battle' of playing a hometown major at Royal Portrush
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland – During Rory McIlroy's press conference on Tuesday ahead of the 2025 British Open, one of his inquisitors started a question by noting that the pressure is off now that the Northern Irishman has joined golf's exclusive club of six who have completed the career Grand Slam. McIlroy interrupted before the full question could even be asked, saying, 'Is it? Is the pressure off?' McIlroy made history at the Masters in April but it didn't take long at all before talk shifted to could he win the single-season Grand Slam. That is the fate of McIlroy and all the greats in sport, who are constantly being asked to top their latest feat with an even greater one. This week, McIlroy will attempt to win a major on home soil at the course where he once shot a record 61. Six years ago, McIlroy faced a similar challenge and he turned into the proverbial deer in headlights on the first tee. McIlroy had played in front of the home faithful at the Irish Open at Portrush, nearby Port Stewart and Royal County Down, but he had never received an ovation so grand as the one that showered down on him as he made the walk to the first tee at the 2019 Open. 'I was still a little surprised and a little taken aback, like geez, these people really want me to win,' he recalled. 'I think that brought its own sort of pressure and more internally from myself and not really wanting to let people down. I guess it's just something I didn't mentally prepare for that day or that week. But I learned pretty quickly that one of my challenges, especially in a week like this, is controlling myself and controlling that battle.' McIlroy hit his opening tee shot out of bounds, leading to a quadruple-bogey 8, and never recovered. He shot 79, called the round a blur and said, 'I try to forget that part of it.' But he does have fonder memories of the second round when the fans tried to will him to make the cut. He hit a 6-iron for his second shot at 14th hole and the roar of approval has stuck with him all these years later. 'It was sort of getting a little dark and it was overcast, and for whatever reason, that's the one thing I remember is that shot and that roar of the crowd, and walking up to that green and getting a standing ovation,' said McIlroy, who shot 65 but still missed the cut by a stroke. 'It was really special.' McIlroy is 36 now, a father, and he's recently moved his base to London. He fell into something of a Masters hangover and has been a non-factor at the last two majors. McIlroy has tried his best to shrug it off; he knows it is only natural. 'I've done something that I've told everyone that I wanted to do,' he explained, 'but then it's like I still feel like I have a lot more to give.' And achieve. He knows this year already is a success no matter the result but this is the championship that he circled at the start of the year. 'If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home,' he said, 'then I don't know what can motivate me.' McIlroy finished tied for second at the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday and said he did everything he had hoped to do that week except leave with the trophy. He was the first player on the course at Royal Portrush on Monday morning before play was suspended for inclement weather. As he seeks a second Claret Jug and sixth career major, the 2014 Champion Golfer of the Year faces the same questions from six years earlier about winning at a course just 60 miles north of where he grew up. But this time McIlroy may be better prepared for the internal pressure placed on his shoulders. The Masters was the ultimate pressure-cooker for him, a battle with himself, and one he ultimately conquered. As he prepares to do battle with himself once again, he said he will try to treat this Open differently. Last time, he made a conscious decision to isolate himself from all the people that have known him and his pursuit of greatness in golf and wanted some moment of recognition with him. 'I think it's better for everyone if I embrace it. I think it's better for me because I can – it's nice to be able to accept adulation, even though I struggle with it at times – but it's also nice for the person that is seeing you for the first time in a few years,' he said. 'It just makes for a better interaction and not trying to hide away from it. "I think it's more of an embrace everything that's going to come my way this week and not try to shy away from it or hide away from it, and I think that'll make for a better experience for everyone involved.'


San Francisco Chronicle
35 minutes ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
British Open: How to watch, what's at stake, betting odds
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland (AP) — Golf's oldest championship returns to one of the newer links courses. New is relative in this case, because Royal Portrush was founded 137 years ago. But this is only its third time hosting the British Open, and the Northern Ireland links is certain to be high on the rotation. The R&A is expecting 278,000 spectators for the week at the British Open, which would be the second-largest crowd in the 165-year history of the championship. Irish eyes will be on Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion and latest to win the career Grand Slam. He is embracing the expectation, unlike in 2019 when McIlroy was so emotional at the reception that he hit his first shot out of bounds and shot 79. This is the final major of the year, and the most unusual of the four majors because of links golf, where funny bounces and pot bunkers and fickle weather can determine the winner. Here's what you need to know going into the British Open. When is the British Open? The first round begins Thursday at about 6:30 a.m. and players in groups of three all start on the first hole. Daylight is not an issue at the British Open because it doesn't get dark until about 10:30 p.m. The last group won't even tee off until a little after 4 p.m. How can I watch the British Open? There is wall-to-wall coverage, along with a five-hour time difference between Northern Ireland and the East Coast of the U.S. It will start at 1:30 a.m. EDT on the Peacock streaming service, and then USA Network picks up coverage from 4 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. If you're living on the West Coast, the British Open will come on just before bedtime. For golf fans in Hawaii, it will start right after sunset on Waikiki. The Open concludes at 3 p.m. on Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday, both on NBC. Who are the betting favorites? Scottie Scheffler has been the favorite at every major this year, and the British Open is no exception. BetMGM Sportsbook lists Scheffler at +550, slightly ahead of home favorite Rory McIlroy at +700. They are Nos. 1 and 2 in the world. Jon Rahm is next at +1100, followed by defending champion Xander Schauffele (+2000) and Tommy Fleetwood of England (+2200). Bryson DeChambeau is listed at +2500. The British Open is the only major where Scheffler has not had a serious chance at winning on the back nine on Sunday. But he hasn't finished out of the top 10 since late March. What are the tee times? Starting times aren't posted until Tuesday, and they are more important than at any other major because the British Open features 15 hours of golf in the opening rounds, and there's never any telling what the weather will do. Players look at their starting times. And then they check the weather. There have been times when someone gets the worst of the weather on Thursday and Friday. Shane Lowry got the best of the weather when he won at Royal Portrush in 2019. What's the forecast? Mixed. That's the term often used in these parts to indicate a little bit of everything, and sometimes that can be in one day. Practice on Monday temporarily was suspended because of thunderstorms. Rain was in the forecast for parts of Tuesday and Wednesday, and there's a chance of showers pretty much every day the rest of the week. There will be sunshine. There will be wind. This is normal. What's at stake? The winner gets a silver claret jug, the oldest trophy in golf. As part of a new tradition, Xander Schauffele had to return the jug to the R&A on Monday in a short ceremony. Then he has four days to win it back. The winner also gets introduced as the 'champion golfer of the year,' another tradition. He also will get a five-year exemption to the other three majors, an exemption into the British Open until age 55 (past winners could play until 60) and a five-year exemption on the PGA Tour. Who are the players to watch? Scottie Scheffler is No. 1 in the world and usually in contention no matter how he is playing. But this is the British Open, and this is Northern Ireland, so this week starts with Rory McIlroy. There is pressure to perform, but he also is relieved of the burden from having not won a major in 11 years. He took care of that by winning the Masters and bringing home that green jacket. If Scheffler were to win, he would go to the U.S. Open next year for a chance at the Grand Slam. Schauffele is trying to become the first repeat winner since Padraig Harrington in 2007 and 2008. But the Californian was slowed by a rib injury early in the year and still hasn't won yet. British hopes lies with the likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Tyrrell Hatton, while Jon Rahm of Spain can also get within one leg of the Grand Slam with a British Open title. Why is it the British Open when it's being played on the island of Ireland? Royal Portrush is in Northern Ireland, which is part of the United Kingdom. The official title is The Open Championship or simply The Open. The Associated Press, along with several U.S. newspapers, have referred it to as the British Open for more than 100 years to distinguish it from other national opens like the U.S. Open and Australian Open.


New York Times
35 minutes ago
- New York Times
Liverpool are playing football again – so what did we learn?
Liverpool played a match for the first time since last season on Sunday, although football was far from most people's minds. The focus of the squad, staff and supporters at Preston North End was on remembering Diogo Jota and his brother Andre, just as it had been all week at the Kirkby training base. Advertisement Phased fitness testing was delayed and some training sessions cancelled, so even as Arne Slot and his coaching team try to keep things moving forward sensitively, their time to implement any new ideas has been restricted. The friendly at Deepdale had been circled on calendars for very different reasons until Jota's passing. It was supposed to provide a first glimpse at new club-record signing Florian Wirtz and begin to answer questions about how he fitted into the starting XI. In the event, the 22-year-old was not risked. He was instead tasked with individual fitness work at the training ground along with the likes of Virgil van Dijk, although there was a first sight of new goalkeepers Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman, who played 45 minutes each, and full-backs Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez, who came on at half-time. So what, if anything, did we learn? Whether they start the first game of the season together remains unclear, but the dynamic of having two attack-minded full-backs — and whether both would be allowed to get forward at the same time — has been a point of discussion. Both were given the licence to get forward and express their attacking qualities and did so in a balanced manner. When Kerkez, who was the more prominent attacking figure in the second half, went forward, Frimpong would be more reserved in his positioning and vice versa. Kerkez looked like he had already formed a solid partnership with Cody Gakpo, proving a willing underlapper and overlapper. His commitment could not be questioned, either, as he once tried to head the ball when lying on the floor. Frimpong was used in a variety of ways. He was comfortable being involved in Liverpool's initial build-up phase, while also drifting forward on other occasions. We did not see his pace used much in an attacking sense, but we did when he was recovering. Advertisement There were occasions where both were very advanced around the Preston box. While that may be opposition-related because their opponents were a Championship outfit, it offered an insight into the creative variety they have that should help Liverpool break down low blocks this season. There was a warning sign when both were positioned so high. In the 56th minute, it left Liverpool two-vs-two at the back and when Andy Robertson misread a clearance, Preston were immediately in on goal. That can be put down to teething pains, and Andrew Robertson was standing in at centre-back, when it will actually be Virgil van Dijk in that position. Another counter-attacking opportunity appeared to present itself but on this occasion, Frimpong accelerated to win back possession and keep his side on the front foot. Following Trent Alexander-Arnold's departure and the unique way he played the right-back role, Frimpong is a very different profile, and so too is Conor Bradley as we have seen since he broke into the first team set-up a couple of years ago. The Northern Ireland international was also given licence to get forward and frequently took up advanced positions in the inside right channel, which paid off with his goal. Both he and Frimpong made runs beyond their winger, and darted towards the penalty spot to add another dynamic to the attack. The No 9 position has been a talking point all summer, but has become a fraught topic to discuss following Jota's death. Federico Chiesa and Darwin Nunez shared the duties on Sunday. Both had been expected to leave this summer but events have left Liverpool's transfer strategy on pause for the time being. Both players were involved in goals, with Chiesa's quick feet earning him space to cross for Dominik Szoboszlai to help it on to Bradley at the back post for the opener. Advertisement Nunez anticipated a poor backpass well in the second half and rounded goalkeeper Daniel Iversen to slot home Liverpool's second. He then cleverly dummied Ben Doak's low cross, allowing it to run through to Gakpo, who sealed the victory. It remains to be seen how Liverpool address their No 9 situation this summer. Wirtz and Luis Diaz can also play there but were not involved at Deepdale, and speculation persists about the latter despite Liverpool's 'not for sale' stance. As ever with pre-season, there is just as much interest in seeing the young talent emerging from the club's academy than in the first team squad. Supporters got their first proper glimpse of Rio Ngumoha when he was a surprise selection for the FA Cup third round tie against Accrington Stanley in January. It didn't take him long that day to showcase his potential with his direct running and quick feet, and his return to a first-team line-up was no different. In the first half, Ngumoha was a consistent threat and was the source of several of Liverpool's key chances. He laid down the gauntlet early to his opponent Pol Valentin, putting him on the back foot in the fourth minute. Ngumoha repeatedly drifted out wide and was given the ball. On 17 minutes, he drove into the box and skipped past a few challenges but saw his shot blocked. Six minutes later, a slightly fortunate one-two with Trey Nyoni saw him in the centre of the box, but again his effort was blocked. He played a role in the opening goal, too, as he danced into the box and managed to direct the ball into Chiesa's path despite being crowded out. He was not the only youngster to impress, with 18-year-old Nyoni looking very comfortable in the left-sided No 8 role and 21-year-old Luca Stephenson, who spent last season on loan at Dundee United, impressing at centre-back, an unfamiliar role for the midfielder. Advertisement Doak, 19, was instrumental in Liverpool's third goal, winning the ball back and providing the assist for Gakpo. On a day when football was secondary, it was individual performances rather than collective tactics that provided more insight. As the players head off on tour, the latter will become more prominent. (Top photos: Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong; Getty Images)