It isn’t very often that there is a crossover between tennis and Formula One but Jannik Sinner is an exception.
The Italian is currently having a dream run at the ATP Finals where he has won all three of his round-robin matches to become the first player from his country to reach the semi-final stage of the tournament. His latest victory occurred on Thursday evening with a roller-coaster three sets win over Holger Rune. Earlier in the week, he beat world No.1 and reigning champion Novak Djokovic, as well as Stefanos Tsitsipas.
In Sinner’s latest match, one of those watching from his box was Riccardo Ceccarelli who has worked with some of the biggest names in the world of F1 since 1989. He is the founder of Formula Medicine which includes a team of doctors, psychologists, trainers, and physical therapists. Their past and present clients include Ayrton Senna, Max Verstappen and Charles Leclerc. Ceccarelli says he has worked with more than 80 F1 drivers during his career.
Ceccarelli has been an extended part of Sinner’s team since 2020. In September 2021 a collaboration was formed between Formular Medicine and the Piatti Tennis Center with a ‘Mental Economy gym’ being created. Under the agreement, they took care of athletes’ mental preparation at the facility. Sinner was among those to benefit.
“It is a little bit different because you don’t talk one-to-one, but you do certain exercises on the computer and they calculate how much of your brain you used, and then they help you to make it as automatic as possible with using less time and less brain.” Sinner said of his work with Formula medicine after beating Rune.
“It’s a little bit different because you see the mental coaches that you talk one-to-one and you try to find a solution. This is a little bit different because you are working on these things and you have to understand what happened and why and everything. We have been working with him already some years now. I feel that I have improved. Obviously stepping on the court, it is a little bit different still. But I think we are making a good process.”
After splitting with his former coach Riccardo Piatti, Sinner continued to have Ceccarelli in his team. They usually see each other during the off-season in Monte Carlo or during extended breaks. Sometimes he attends Sinner’s tournaments but states there is no need to go to every match he plays. In his view, those who need ‘psychological support’ during every match they play are ‘weak.’
Ceccarelli and his team say the 22-year-old broke into the world’s top 10 two months after using their program for the first time. But how does the system work?
“Using a joystick we make him try our hand at our computerized tests that we created ad hoc by monitoring his performance and associating them with the lines of his brain consumption (through a frontal band) and his heartbeat,” Ceccarelli explained in a recent interview.
“Our training is aimed at creating situations that allow him to perceive sensations such as anger, discouragement, tiredness, calm, and effectiveness. He will then associate them with the various moments experienced during the matches.”
The principal goal of such an approach is to work on an athlete’s ‘self-awareness.’ The idea is that if a person can have a better understanding of how their brain works during certain circumstances, they will then become more effective in their sport. Another person also involved in working with Sinner is psychologist Alice Ferrisi who helped construct the Formular Medicine tests.
“Our approach is very objective and numerical. We are like “engineers”, the engineers of his brain. With a PC and a small case containing the instruments Jannik can perform tests at home or anywhere in the world and we can analyze his data.” Ceccarelli concluded.
Sinner, who is currently coached by Simone Vagnozzi, will play his semi-final match at the ATP Finals on Saturday.
