The Tennis Coaching Merry Go Round

[JazzNU]

Seems like she's going to have a very hard time finding coach that isn't with the LTA no matter what level of success she reaches at this rate, and even then she seems like she'll be running out of options for help there who truly are interested in working with her. She can't buckle down with someone for a full calendar year? Because damn girl, you've got a reputation before you're out of your teens.

And to be clear, this is NOT her leaving Torben Beltz for Ricardo Piatti, the announced coach that will be with her in Madrid and likely thru RG is another LTA one. I have no idea what a 7:51 training approach is, but she claims that's what she wants to implement. Feel free to share if anyone knows what the heck that means. It might just mean she's making it up as she goes along because it's really how it seems at this point.

Hope Torben got some hazard pay for this gig, but there were early reports she was balking at cost of coaches last year, so I fear he can't even walk away from this having been exceptionally well paid.

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/ ... rben-beltz

[ponchi101]

Another article I read said that she/her family likes to get coaches to work on some specific thing and then move on. As long as that was made clear to Torben, it would seem fair: "I hired you to learn about taking care of blisters and now that I am proficient at it, you can go. Thanks!".
The only thing, as said by you gang, is that she will have a hard time finding a top notch coach if they all know this is a 6 months gig. The first split from the coach that took her to her US title was weird. The entire rest is simply unexplainable.

[ti-amie]

Here is Chris Evert speaking on the split between Raducanu and Torben, who also replied to her tweet. I said before that there is something seriously wrong in her camp. I thought she/they had enough sense to stick with a coach like Beltz.

[ti-amie]

Emma Raducanu splits from coach Torben Beltz after five months

Emma Raducanu has split from coach Torben Beltz after only five months.

The 19-year-old US Open champion confirmed Beltz as her coach in November but believes a "new training model" is needed.

The LTA's head of women's coaching Iain Bates will work with Raducanu in Madrid this week.

"I want to thank Torben for his coaching, professionalism and dedication over the last half a year," said the world number 11.

"He has a huge heart and I have enjoyed our strong chemistry during the time together.

"I feel the best direction for my development is to transition to a new training model with the LTA supporting in the interim."

German Beltz, 45, previously coached former world number one Angelique Kerber when she won the Australian Open and US Open titles in 2016.

His successor will be British number one Raducanu's fourth coach in a year.

Nigel Sears was replaced by Andrew Richardson after last year's Wimbledon, but Richardson's contract was not renewed despite Raducanu's success in New York.

Raducanu spent a few days preparing for the clay court season at Riccardo Piatti's academy in Liguria earlier this month.

The highly-respected Italian coach has worked with Ivan Ljubicic, Richard Gasquet and Milos Raonic, and recently parted company with Jannik Sinner after guiding him through his teenage years and into the world's top 10.

Raducanu has won three of her first five professional matches on clay - one for Great Britain at the Billie Jean King Cup qualifier in Prague, and two in Stuttgart last week in a run to the quarter-finals.

She will contest the Madrid Open, which begins on Thursday, at a career-high ranking.

Analysis
BBC tennis correspondent Russell Fuller

Even though Torben Beltz has not had nearly long enough to shape the career of Emma Raducanu, his days have seemed numbered for a while.

Pre-season was ruined when the 19-year-old caught Covid just before Christmas, and a sequence of minor injuries have prevented the pair spending crucial time on the practice and match court since.

Raducanu's father Ian is driving these decisions, as you might expect of a parent in his daughter's first full year on tour.

He can be imaginative but also restless, and by constantly seeking alternative and innovative ways to train, has denied Raducanu the stability which would have been welcome as she navigates life as the unseeded qualifier who won the US Open.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/61226768

[ponchi101]

I love it when they write their "Dear John" you-are-fired letters.
"I want to thank John for all he did during our brief fling. He has supportive, generous, caring, took care of me all the time and heard every word I said always. We never had an argument and I have improved 100% while with him, was always there for me, took care of me, my family, our PR issues, the dog and my pet parakeet, as well as washed the clothes, dishes, car, and afore mentioned dog and parakeet. He was the absolute best".
Sure. He was.

[Deuce]

If they (Emma and her parents, essentially) just want to take bits and pieces from each coach, with no real long term commitment, that's fine (I've read, too, that this has been their approach to coaching). It's their prerogative, and if they can find coaches who are willing to do that, then there's no problem at all.

But, as I said - if they're going to go that route, they should not be publicly announcing every time they hire and let go of each coach - because that can damage her reputation. Granted that those inside the WTA 'bubble' will know when her coaches come and go even if it's not announced publicly... but to make an announcement every time a coach comes in and leaves will not - and does not - reflect well on Emma.

[patrick]

For Raducanu to be going through so many coaches mean she is not paying their prices and/or differences in philosophy.

Also, guess doing well at Wimbledon and winning USO assisted her in winning the Laureus. By the way, who was the nominees in her category

[3mlm]

For Raducanu to be going through so many coaches mean she is not paying their prices and/or differences in philosophy.

Also, guess doing well at Wimbledon and winning USO assisted her in winning the Laureus. By the way, who was the nominees in her category

The fellow nominees in her category, Breakthrough of the Year, were 2021 US Open winner Daniil Medvedev, Pedri (football), Neeraj Chopra (athletics), Yulimar Rojas (athletics) and Ariarne Titmus (swimming).

The only other nominee I'd ever heard of is Medvedev and I agree she had more of a breakthrough than he did since he was already #2 and she was a career high #150. The others, I don't know.

[ponchi101]

Yulimar Rojas is the Venezuelan triple-jump champion. She shattered the world record at the olympics, winning her first gold medal there.
But she was an established figure. I will agree to that. She was already #2 in the world. And she recently broke her record again.

[ti-amie]

Yulimar Rojas is the Venezuelan triple-jump champion. She shattered the world record at the olympics, winning her first gold medal there.
But she was an established figure. I will agree to that. She was already #2 in the world. And she recently broke her record again.

I knew who she was. I also knew she is well established in her field. Nice to see she was nominated though.

[ashkor87]

Well, let us not forget, Serena had the same model for a long time, worked well for her.How do we know it won't work for Raducanu? Though, I must say, I don't think it is working for Gauff..probably depends on how much the parents know about tennis and how much the player listens to them...

[ponchi101]

Serious question. When did Serena have the same model? She has been with Moratogliuo so long I can't remember who her previous coach was.
The thing with Emma and the rotating coaches is that I actually don't think the coaches have time to implement the changes. This is not one of us, going to a proper coach that spots our many bio-mechanical faults, and can correct them in a week. This is gradual improvement (for Emma), and I don't think that 6 months are enough for the coaches to make a difference.
She has had the same number of coaches in one year that Rafa has had in his entire career. Or Pete. I don't know if the guys have been able to give her the total input in that time (her coach during the USO certainly did, but who knows what else he had left to teach her).

[meganfernandez]

Serious question. When did Serena have the same model? She has been with Moratogliuo so long I can't remember who her previous coach was.
The thing with Emma and the rotating coaches is that I actually don't think the coaches have time to implement the changes. This is not one of us, going to a proper coach that spots our many bio-mechanical faults, and can correct them in a week. This is gradual improvement (for Emma), and I don't think that 6 months are enough for the coaches to make a difference.
She has had the same number of coaches in one year that Rafa has had in his entire career. Or Pete. I don't know if the guys have been able to give her the total input in that time (her coach during the USO certainly did, but who knows what else he had left to teach her).

I assume people are talking about her parents being her official coaches and using coaches sporadically for bits and pieces, before she hired Mouratoglou in 2012, the back half of her career.

Guess there won't be a King Patrick movie. Both sisters unfollowed him on social media.

Coaching at this level is less about teaching tennis and more about putting the player in a winning position week after week, or for the right weeks. Getting the best out of the player at the right times. Some guidance at times.

I think the number of coaches - especially for a player in Raducanu's recent position - is overblown. Sometimes the coach is the one who wants to move on, or wants a trial period. Top coaches will always have more opportunities.

[ashkor87]

Raducanu came out with an interesting semi-explanation today..says she needs, not so much coaching as sparring - players hit so hard nowadays..I am actually puzzled by that, if anyone handles pace well, it is Raducanu..and Leylah and Bencic and Kerber...

[ashkor87]

Serious question. When did Serena have the same model? She has been with Moratogliuo so long I can't remember who her previous coach was.
The thing with Emma and the rotating coaches is that I actually don't think the coaches have time to implement the changes. This is not one of us, going to a proper coach that spots our many bio-mechanical faults, and can correct them in a week. This is gradual improvement (for Emma), and I don't think that 6 months are enough for the coaches to make a difference.
She has had the same number of coaches in one year that Rafa has had in his entire career. Or Pete. I don't know if the guys have been able to give her the total input in that time (her coach during the USO certainly did, but who knows what else he had left to teach her).

I assume people are talking about her parents being her official coaches and using coaches sporadically for bits and pieces, before she hired Mouratoglou in 2012, the back half of her career.

Guess there won't be a King Patrick movie. Both sisters unfollowed him on social media.

Coaching at this level is less about teaching tennis and more about putting the player in a winning position week after week, or for the right weeks. Getting the best out of the player at the right times. Some guidance at times.

I think the number of coaches - especially for a player in Raducanu's recent position - is overblown. Sometimes the coach is the one who wants to move on, or wants a trial period. Top coaches will always have more opportunities.

Yes, I am pointing out that Serena took on a coach only much later..initially, Richard Williams was her coach...