Why a footy legend will be a VERY surprising guest in Jannik Sinner’s box at the Australian Open final
- The Italian world number 4 will face Daniil Medvedev in the men’s singles final
- His player box will feature one of the AFL’s big names
- The connection was made through Sinner’s Australian coach
AFL great Mark Williams will have one of the best seats in the house when he joins Jannik Sinner’s team in the star’s box for the Australian Open men’s singles final on Sunday night.
The unlikely combination came about thanks to Sinner’s Australian coach Darren Cahill, who has family ties to Williams through Port Adelaide football club.
Cahill’s father John was coached as a player by Williams’ father Foster before taking charge of the team himself from 1974 to 1982.
John Cahill appointed Williams captain of Port when he left to coach Collingwood in 1983, and Darren revealed the team played a big role in his success as a mentor to tennis stars such as Lleyton Hewitt, Simona Halep – and now Sinner.
Former Port Adelaide premiership-winning coach Mark Williams (pictured) will sit alongside Jannik Sinner’s closest teammates as the Italian attempts to win the Australian Open
The unlikely combination came about through Sinner’s Australian coach Darren Cahill (pictured), who has close family ties to the Port club
“Ninety-five percent of my coaching throughout my career has been through the Port Adelaide Football Club,” he told the Herald Sun.
“It’s just what I grew up with, with my dad coaching there for so many years and being successful.
‘There are certain customs, some cultures and some ways of coaching that never leave you.’
John Cahill coached Port to South Australian National Football League premierships in 1977, 1979 and 1981, after appearing in 264 games for the side as a player.
Williams is known for coaching Port Adelaide to their only AFL premiership in 2004, after a distinguished playing career that saw him play for West Adelaide, Port, Collingwood and Brisbane.
Darren Cahill also opened up the turning point in Sinner’s career ahead of his Open final against Daniil Medvedev.
Cahill said Sinner’s five-set defeat to the Serbian superstar in the Wimbledon quarter-finals 18 months ago was a harsh but necessary lesson for the youngster.
The Italian took a two-set lead, with Djokovic beating Nick Kyrgios in the final to lift the trophy for the seventh time.
Cahill says the lessons he learned through Port Adelaide have been crucial in helping him find success with Sinner (pictured during his victory over Novak Djokovic on Australia Day) and other big names such as Lleyton Hewitt
Pictured: Cahill (right) standing and applauding in Sinner’s box during his victory over Djokovic
“The match he played against Novak at Wimbledon taught Jannik a lot about where he needed to improve,” Cahill said.
“When he was two sets up and lost that five-set match against Novak, you can sit down with him and talk about where improvements needed to be made.
“And it’s thanks to him that he absorbed it.
“He comes to the practice court, absorbs the information and enjoys working on things that will make him a better tennis player.”
Cahill joined Sinner’s camp via that grass campaign and takes some of the credit for the player’s subsequent rise up the rankings.
Together with co-coach Simone Vagnozzi, Cahill has helped improve Sinner’s game smarts, fitness, service and confidence.
Cahill said two wins in a week last November over Djokovic, and steering Italy to their first Davis Cup title since 1976, had boosted the youngster’s confidence.