From former icons to present-day competitors who share the court, most see a glimpse of Novak Djokovic when Jannik Sinner is at his craft. Maybe that’s why their matches get us so tense in anticipation. Well, the semi-final clash at the 2025 Wimbledon is their 10th meeting. They are almost mirrors of one another on the court, which makes us always wonder what the difference will be when the 2 come face to face.

And guess what? It’s not just their similar playing style. The two players who have a gap of more than 15 years between them have also shared a coach who particularly played a keen role in Sinner’s development and style of play. The coach we are talking about is Riccardo Piatti. When the 2 generations of tennis clash on Friday, July 11, in a way, it will be Piatti who gets to be a proud mentor seeing his amazingly successful ex-students go head-to-head.

Riccardo Piatti’s Early Connection with Novak Djokovic

It was the Serbian Champion who came under the tutelage of the Italian coach first. Piatti has been known for his work with youngsters, and his time with Djokovic was also when the now 24-time GS Champion was just 18 years ago, way back in 2005. They were together for around a year before they went their separate ways. Piatti was not ready to be a full-time coach for the youngster, which resulted in the split. But in the brief time they were together, Piatti had a deep influence on Djokovic’s growth as a Champion.

Piatti’s philosophy involves training a player to beat the best. Although Djokovic didn’t start as the favorite, clearly, the process of Piatti has worked wonders for the Serbian, who has beaten Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and anybody who has come before him. But there was one thing that Djokovic had which helped in the success – the ability to suffer for a win.

Talking to The Athletic before the big Wimbledon clash, Riccardo Piatti said, “I knew he had the quality and the movement, but the first quality they have to have is to be able to suffer and fight for the win. Even if you lose, you’re thinking: ‘Tomorrow I want to play again to beat this guy.’” This fighting spirit has been a defining trait for the 38-year-old who now tries to best the man who literally was trained by Piatti to beat Novak Djokovic.

Jannik Sinner’s Rise Under Piatti’s Tutelage

It all started in 2013 when Sinner was just 12 or 13 years old. He would leave his home to join up with Piatti, who has his own academy. And they were together for almost a decade before ending the partnership in 2022. Talking to Tennis Majors in March 2025 about the training of Sinner, the fellow Italian said, “My goal when I was coaching Jannik, and because I coached Djokovic back in the day, was to find how Jannik could beat Djokovic.”

And now, at his Piatti Tennis Center, the 66-year-old has a new benchmark. “Now it’d be to find a young player who in eight to ten years can beat Alcaraz or Sinner.” Under him, Sinner developed into a consistent and versatile hitter. And in Sinner, Piatti saw the mental fortitude and the ability to suffer for success.

In fact, the 66-year-old coach himself validated the similarity between them. One thing every fan can see is the high level of standard they both operate at.

From Mentorship to Rivalry: The Djokovic and Sinner Dynamic

The talk about being cut from the same cloth was fueled not only by the gameplay of the young apprentice but also by Novak Djokovic’s own admission that Sinner had taken tips from him and they had had sessions together where the young Italian had tried to learn from the best. But from an early age, Sinner had some attributes that had led him to this path. Piatti shared with The Athletic, “Having coached Novak for many years before, I liked a lot the position Jannik stayed in the court, with the legs always staying down when he was hitting the ball.”

And as time has progressed, Sinner has become more like the Serbian – consistent, efficient, head-steady, and equally impactful in all aspects of the game. In both Djokovic and Sinner, Piatti saw greatness, which we are seeing now. “I thought in 10 years, they will be tennis,” the coach had said in a video interview shared by The Athletic.

Talking about his ex-pupils, the coach Piatti said, “The mentality of both was always very strong. But when I say strong, it means that they are very focused. Focused on what they want to do.” Oh, Novak Djokovic’s QF post-match presser was him telling just that – how all his time, concentration, and focus were on nullifying Jannik Sinner. Don’t miss a moment—get minute-by-minute coverage of the Championships on EssentiallySports.

The 2 students of Riccardo Piatti have carved their own paths in the sport in their own unique way. But one thing is certain, seeing the success of two Champions from two different generations, the influence of Riccardo Piatti and how his methods and philosophy are still relevant in the ever-evolving world of tennis.