Credit the Tennis Coach?
When a player's results improve, frequently a new coach is credited with having helped add to his/her game. For example, Larry Stefanki with Andy Roddick, Zelko Krajan with Dinara
Safina. However, when a player doesn't perform as well, the coach is rarely "discredited"... at least until he/she is let go by the player. It's a bit of a double standard.
In the past several years, prior to working with Stefanki, Andy Roddick had reached two Wimbledon Finals, the U.S. Open Final (losing all of them to Federer) and also beaten Roger Federer in Key Biscayne in 2008. Since Stefanki has joined the Roddick camp, Andy has lost weight and is moving better. Andy has also continued to improve his backhand, volley and return, all of which he was working on with his previous coaches, i.e. Jimmy Connors and Roddick's brother, John. Now that Roddick has exited the 2009 U.S. Open in the third round, Roddick's 2009 Grand Slam campaign has ended (again) with another Wimbledon final in the books, but without a second Grand Slam title to complement his lone 2003 U.S. Open title. So how much has Stefanki improved Roddick's game and more importantly his results? How much "credit" should Stefanki have to bare for the lack of a Roddick Grand Slam title in 2009?
When Dinara Safina catapulted up the rankings in 2008 and 2009 reaching the Number One spot, many credited her new coach, Zeljko Krajan, and improved physical and mental fitness. Gone were Safina’s frequent angry, emotional outbursts from the past. With her newfound calm and better fitness, Safina was racking up titles, ranking points and late round runs at Grand Slams. Now it all seems to be unraveling with Safina's recent wrenching losses at the 2009 U.S. Open and at the Toray Pan Pacific tournament in Tokyo this week serving as the exclamation point to a painful period in her career over the past few months since she became Number One. Should Zeljko Krajan be "discredited" for being unable to help Safina find a solution?
There are many other coaches who have received praise as their players have ascended the rankings and collected titles, but rarely been “blamed” for poor results. For example, Franco Davin with Argentine 2009 U.S. Open Champion, Juan Martin del Potro, Marian Vadja with Novak Djokovic (i.e. struggled in several Slams since winning 2008 Australian Open and recently added Todd Martin to his coaching team), Miles Maclagan et al with Andy Murray (i.e. no Slam title in 2009 and upset at 2009 U.S. Open) and Michael Joyce with Maria Sharapova (i.e. serving problems).
The coach is not on the court and it is the player who has to perform. Nonetheless, it would seem fair to share the praise and criticism a bit more as a coach’s charge achieves success or struggles through tough losses. In the end, the player's overall record during a coach’s tenure may be the best reflection of his/her contribution to a player’s success.
In the past several years, prior to working with Stefanki, Andy Roddick had reached two Wimbledon Finals, the U.S. Open Final (losing all of them to Federer) and also beaten Roger Federer in Key Biscayne in 2008. Since Stefanki has joined the Roddick camp, Andy has lost weight and is moving better. Andy has also continued to improve his backhand, volley and return, all of which he was working on with his previous coaches, i.e. Jimmy Connors and Roddick's brother, John. Now that Roddick has exited the 2009 U.S. Open in the third round, Roddick's 2009 Grand Slam campaign has ended (again) with another Wimbledon final in the books, but without a second Grand Slam title to complement his lone 2003 U.S. Open title. So how much has Stefanki improved Roddick's game and more importantly his results? How much "credit" should Stefanki have to bare for the lack of a Roddick Grand Slam title in 2009?
When Dinara Safina catapulted up the rankings in 2008 and 2009 reaching the Number One spot, many credited her new coach, Zeljko Krajan, and improved physical and mental fitness. Gone were Safina’s frequent angry, emotional outbursts from the past. With her newfound calm and better fitness, Safina was racking up titles, ranking points and late round runs at Grand Slams. Now it all seems to be unraveling with Safina's recent wrenching losses at the 2009 U.S. Open and at the Toray Pan Pacific tournament in Tokyo this week serving as the exclamation point to a painful period in her career over the past few months since she became Number One. Should Zeljko Krajan be "discredited" for being unable to help Safina find a solution?
There are many other coaches who have received praise as their players have ascended the rankings and collected titles, but rarely been “blamed” for poor results. For example, Franco Davin with Argentine 2009 U.S. Open Champion, Juan Martin del Potro, Marian Vadja with Novak Djokovic (i.e. struggled in several Slams since winning 2008 Australian Open and recently added Todd Martin to his coaching team), Miles Maclagan et al with Andy Murray (i.e. no Slam title in 2009 and upset at 2009 U.S. Open) and Michael Joyce with Maria Sharapova (i.e. serving problems).
The coach is not on the court and it is the player who has to perform. Nonetheless, it would seem fair to share the praise and criticism a bit more as a coach’s charge achieves success or struggles through tough losses. In the end, the player's overall record during a coach’s tenure may be the best reflection of his/her contribution to a player’s success.
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