The Piatti Tennis Center, A Remarkable Coaching School In A Beautiful Setting.
Close to a picturesque village set in a breathtaking Italian landscape, Riccardo Piatti proudly shows us around and explains that this is where he teaches professional players to be their best and encourages young hopefuls to be the next generation of stars. Come and spend less than ten minutes watching and you’ll agree that this is a coaching school like no other.
New Tennis Stars Don’t Just Appear Out Of Thin Air. Ask Riccardo Piatti.
We visited the PIATTI TENNIS CENTER in Bordighera, Italy, to speak to one of the world’s leading coaches, Riccardo Piatti. At 64, he’s still a powerful force busy passing on his wisdom to young hopefuls who dream of becoming the next generation of tennis stars. If you ask Riccardo, how does it do it, he will say in his calm and reassuring voice, “start with the tennis racquet and build out”. It’s all about methodology.
Riccardo is speaking from real experience. Born in Como, Italy in 1958, he became a coach in 1982. In 1988, he started his own coaching school, working with players such as Renzo Furlan (best ranking number 19 in the world in 1996), Cristiano Caratti, (No. 26 ATP in 1991), Omar Camporese (No. 25 ATP) and Cristian Brandi (No. 50 in doubles in 2000.) Riccardo then coached Ivan Ljubičić, helping him achieve his best ranking, 3rd in the world. During this time, Ivan won 10 ATP tournaments (including the Indian Wells Master 1000, USA), won the bronze medal at the Athens Olympic Games in 2004, with Mario Ančić and the Davis Cup with Croatia in 2006.
For a year, he worked with former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic. In 2013, he coached Frenchman, Richard Gasquet who reached his best ranking that year: 9th in the ATP, earning him a place in the Masters Final in London. From 2013 to 2017, Riccardo coached Canadian player, Milos Raonic, who earned a place in the Wimbledon final and achieved his best ATP ranking at No.3 as well as competing in the London Masters. He also coached Croatian players Borna Ćorić and Maria Sharapova.
Since 2008, coach Piatti has channelled all this remarkable experience into the next generation of tennis talent. Working with young players and their coaches, he organizes workshops all over Europe. The Piatti Tennis Center opened its gates 2018 where he coached the then 13-year-old Italian star, Jannik Sinner. Over the next few years, Sinner won 5 ATP titles and reached two Grand Slam’s quarter-finals. In 2020, he became the youngest ATP 500 champion ever by winning in Washington, ending the year ranked as one of the top 10 in the world.
The Piatti tennis method is a philosophy that starts and focuses on the players’ technique for holding, moving, and articulating the racquet through the shot. This mindful journey of awareness continues from the hand up the arm, into the shoulders and eventually into every movement and position of the body. It sounds much more complicated than it is. The center utilises advanced data-gathering techniques to play back to the student and help them to analyse each shot. The Piatti method even includes a mental gym where students learn the art of ‘mental economy’, to enable them to endure the psychological rigours of the game.
Today, the Piatti Tennis Center prepares athletes and talented youngsters to become professional players, using its unique 360º coaching approach. We think the remarkable Riccardo Piatti has managed to create one of the most extraordinary coaching schools in the world. If you don’t believe us, just watch this beautiful film and soak up the atmosphere. You’ll want to sign up.
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