Is It Time To Change Tennis Coaches?

It’s a delicate matter to handle but when is it time to change tennis coaches?

Is it Time to Change my Tennis Coach?

Emma Raducanu – Torben Beltz

Emma Raducanu says it was a “tough” decision to split with coach Torben Beltz after only five months, but is “very confident” in her training and decision it was time to change tennis coaches. On Tuesday 29 April the US Open Champion parted company with her third coach German, Torben Beltz.  Beltz is best known for having coached Angelique Kerber during her successful 2016 Australian Open and 2016 US Open campaigns. 

Raducanu, 19, is currently working with the LTA’s head of women’s coaching Iain Bates in Madrid this week in preparation for the Madrid Open.

Emma, world number 11 said, “Torben is a great guy. I really enjoyed my time with him on and off the court,” She went on to say

“He is one of the nicest people I’ve met so obviously it was a tough one to split with someone like that.

“But I feel like right now I’m very comfortable with my current training. I’m feeling very confident in what I’m doing and how I’m working.

“I think Torben has been great for me because when I wanted someone with tour experience, I think for my first six months on the tour, it was very valuable.”

Madrid Open

Raducanu now faces Czech Tereza Martincova in the first round of the Madrid Open today – a player whom she defeated in the recent Billie Jean King Cup qualifier.

The LTA is to support her as she searches for a new coach but Raducanu knows exactly what she needs in the interim.

“I think going forward I’ll probably be putting a lot more emphasis on sparring,” she said.

“It is becoming more apparent to me as I spend more time on the tour, is just getting used to these girls’ ball speed.

“I like to mix it up. I like to work very specifically and I’m very clear on what I want to work on. A lot of the time those ideas come from myself.”

Simona Halep – Darren Cahill

Former world No. 1 Simona Halep explains decision to part ways with Australian tennis coach Darren Cahill. She remains grateful for what she achieved with an Australian coach she split with in September 2021.

Dual grand slam champion Simona Halep remains eternally grateful to her former Australian coach Darren Cahill despite them mutually parting ways in September.

Halep reached the No.1 ranking and won the 2018 French Open and 2019 Wimbledon titles during her six years with Cahill, who also coached Lleyton Hewitt and Andre Agassi.

She went on to rehire her old coach Adrian Marcu to work with Daniel Dobre.

“It’s been a great relationship and he’s still my friend and we are friends,” Halep said of Cahill following their mutual decision it was time to change tennis coaches.

“He was kind of my family, so I cannot just call him a coach. He taught me many things outside the court; how to live easier, how to live more relaxed, like all the Australians do.”

“I won the grand slam that I really wanted and I jumped to the next level with his help, so always I will be very thankful to him.”

“The decision was from both sides and there was probably too much time together as the coach and the player, and sometimes you have to break that – but we are in a good connection still.”

In mid-November 2021 at the Linz Open in Austria, she was forced to withdraw before her semi-final because of a knee injury.

Rafa Nadal – Marco Lopez

The last time Rafael Nadal added a new coach, Carlos Moya, was back in 2017, and it was a great year: 10th Roland Garros title; third US Open title; year-end No. 1.

The Spaniard will be looking to find more of that same success in 2022, after roping in another new coach, Marc Lopez. Marca reported the move.

Lopez is a Roland Garros doubles champion and former doubles No. 3—but, just as important, he’s a friend of the 20-time Grand Slam singles champion, and the two have a rich history on the court together.

Nadal and Lopez took home gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics in doubles, and the pair have won five career doubles titles on tour. But now, Lopez will shift gears and solely focus on his good friend on the singles court, alongside coaches Carlos Moyá and Francis Roig. The three joined forces in Mallorca for pre-season practice.

What has been your Experience with Tennis Coaches?

Roger Federer managed to win 3 Grand Slams in 2004 without a coach!

Serena Williams and Patrick Mouratoglou have been a team since 2012, only recently splitting following Serena’s lengthy injury and time away from the court. Mouratoglou is now working with Simona Halep after her return from injury last year.

What is your experience?

It’s always a tough decision to take when it comes to parting company with someone you have been working with towards a common goal. How did you deal with it? What factors influenced your decision to change?

Please do share with us your comments and don’t forget you can always contact us directly on WhatsApp +44 7849 502790 or email info@zoealexanderuk.com.