Jannik Sinner benefits from high-tech mental training from Dr. Ceccarelli

As far as I am concerned, Janik Skinner is the best tennis player in the world today because he has worked extensively on his mental processes. He's done this to an extent and in a way which is different to other tennis players. 

Jannick Sinner at practice. Image: by si.robi - Sinner MCM23 (8), CC BY-SA 2.0,
https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=132685340

He has outstripped the progress of Carlos Alcaraz who appears to have stalled his progress and even gone backwards slightly. I think we can distinguish these two top players in one definitive way: Jannik Sinner has employed a psychologist involved with improving the performance of F1 drivers, Doctor Ricardo Ceccarelli while Carlos Alcaraz has not.

There was a notable improvement in Jannik Sinner's performances about a year ago and he has dominated since. So how does Ceccarelli work?

How does Dr Ceccarelli work to help Jannik Sinner?

Dr. Ricardo Ceccarelli, renowned for his work in Formula 1, plays a crucial role in Jannik Sinner’s mental preparation and performance improvement. Let’s delve into the details:

1. Background and Collaboration:

   • Ceccarelli has been an integral part of Sinner’s team since 2020.
   • In September 2021, a collaboration emerged between Formula Medicine (founded by Ceccarelli) and the Piatti Tennis Center. Together, they established a ‘Mental Economy gym’ dedicated to athletes’ mental preparation, including Sinner.

2. Methodology:

   • Ceccarelli’s approach focuses on enhancing an athlete’s self-awareness.
   • They create scenarios where Sinner associates specific sensations (like anger, discouragement, fatigue, calmness, and effectiveness) with moments in his matches.
   • They use a joystick for computerized tests, monitoring brain activity (via a frontal band) and heartbeat.
   • The goal is to understand how Sinner’s brain functions under different conditions, ultimately improving his effectiveness in tennis.

3. Results:

   • Within two months of implementing this program, the 22-year-old broke into the world’s top 10 rankings.
   • Ceccarelli’s system has contributed significantly to Sinner’s mental toughness and overall performance.

In summary, Dr. Ceccarelli’s innovative approach combines psychology, technology, and personalized training to elevate Jannik Sinner’s mental game on the tennis court. 🎾🧠

Sinner said: "It is very different from having a coach or a sports psychologist because in those cases you have a conversation with that person and try to find solutions. What I do is different because we dedicate ourselves to solving exercises on a computer and we calculate the performance of my brain when it comes to finding solutions to the problems I encounter in these exercises."

He added that, "repetition makes me automate the processes and my brain is more efficient and works better under pressure and in extreme situations. It helps me a lot because it makes me have to understand why things happen and I can analyse them in detail [and that] we have been working with this methodology for a few years and I feel that it is working very well. I have improved significantly in this mental aspect."

I believe Cessarelli employs a process called Mental Economy Training to sharpen the mind and make it tougher so that it works far more efficiently in the heat for battle on the tennis court.

Mental Economy Training® is able to evaluate and improve the main aspects of the mental sphere including:

• Self-awareness
• Mental flexibility and adaptability
• Self-confidence
• Decision making ability
• Multitasking skills
• Resistance to stress
• Interpersonal relationships
• Teamwork

A couple of extra things are worth mentioning. He has the best and most powerful forehand (probably) and he has made significant improvements in his movement which means he is a better defender. Lastly he says that he can improve his dropshot and his volleying. He is working on these aspects of the game. He is set for dominance similar to that experienced by the big three for so long.

Alcaraz would be well to observe what has happened and do something similar to improve his mentality. I have felt that Alcaraz has dopped off mentally recently. A lack of motivation. It is hard though to maintain motivation at the top. Look at Björn Borg Borg who retired very young and in his prime because he no longer enjoyed it.

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P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.