Darren Cahill has played a huge role in Jannik Sinner’s rise to the top, helping him win five Grand Slam titles along the way. But with the Australian finally preparing to retire after extending his coaching stint, Sinner has had to look for someone who can build on that success. And his reported choice is someone he apparently had already considered for the job back in 2022.

According to a report by The Times, Sinner has hired Magnus Norman as his coach for the 2027 season. While there were rumors that the Italian would choose Carlos Alcaraz’s former coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, he has opted to go for an equally renowned option.

The question now is, what makes Norman an interesting choice for Sinner, someone who has already achieved so much? Well, turns out that Norman has a knack, one that helps turn players who are already dangerous to go a step further.

There are two case studies to prove it. One with Robin Söderling and the other with Stan Wawrinka. Both players had tremendous power and the ability to challenge the best in the world. However, turning that talent into Grand Slam titles was a different story. That changed under Norman.

Söderling became more consistent, defeating Rafael Nadal at Roland Garros in 2009 before reaching the final. He returned to the final a year later after beating Roger Federer. Wawrinka’s rise was even more head-turning.

Although he was already a top-20 player with an exceptional backhand, he wasn’t considered a genuine threat to Djokovic, Nadal, or even Federer at Grand Slams. Norman coming in turned things. He helped him trust his attacking instincts and improve his tactical discipline, and together they made their way to three Grand Slam titles between 2014 and 2016.

That being said, despite the success, Norman and Wawrinka didn’t always work together without hiccups. Norman’s first stint with Wawrinka lasted for a little over four years, and he left in October of 2017. The Swede rejoined the team in 2018, but Wawrinka split with him again in September of 2020.

But despite parting ways on two occasions, Norman reunited with Wawrinka for a third stint in October of 2022. It has been a little over four years since the two reunited, but with Wawrinka set to retire at the end of the season, it was clear that Norman would have to look for a new challenge. He will now be working alongside Sinner and Simone Vagnozzi.

How Sinner can benefit from Norman

The Italian already has a formidable baseline game, but Carlos Alcaraz has shown how a change of pace and shot selection can shake up his rhythm. Norman can help Sinner add more variety, but not take away the power and consistency that make him so difficult to beat. 

Of course for that Sinner first needs to return to the court. His knee injury has kept him out since the Wimbledon final in July, forcing him to miss the US Open and ATP Finals and bringing his 2026 season to an early end.

With his return date finally confirmed, Norman’s arrival could give Sinner a fresh perspective as he prepares for his comeback.

Jannik Sinner will return to action at the Six Kings Slam in December

The 25-year-old will be playing the Six Kings Slam in Riyadh, which will be held from December 27-30. The tournament was initially scheduled to be played from October 21-24, but the unrest in the Middle East pushed its date back. This will be the third edition of the event.

The other players who have signed up for the event are Alexander Zverev, Carlos Alcaraz, Taylor Fritz, Novak Djokovic, and Alex de Minaur. Sinner was due to be replaced by Learner Tien in the event, but the American has now been dropped from the lineup.

The tournament has a total prize pool of $13.5 million. Each of the six players is guaranteed prize money of $1.5 million for participating. The winner is given an additional $4.5 million, bringing their total earnings to $6 million. Sinner defeated Alcaraz in the previous two finals of the event, earning him $6 million on each occasion.

But Sinner won’t be the favorite to win the tournament this year. He hasn’t competed for months now, while all the other players in the lineup have been fairly active. It is safe to say that defending the title for a third year running will be nothing short of an uphill task for the Italian.