Garhi Shot First
Hall of Fame
The Mastermind Behind Stan Wawrinka
By Alex Sharp on May 20, 2016
Interview in Australian Tennis Magazine
http://tennismash.com/2016/05/20/magnus-norman-the-mastermind-behind-wawrinka/
“I started to be really nervous and I started to tell myself, ‘what [the ****] is happening?’ But then I had a good talk with Magnus (Norman), he is always confident in me. He always finds the good words to make me believe in myself and to go on the courts knowing and believing that I can beat the number one player in a Grand Slam final.”
These were the words of stunned French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in a press conference moments after the Swiss blasted world No.1 Novak Djokovic off Philippe-Chatrier Court with “the greatest game of my life.”
...
Clinching the 2014 Australian Open title proved the 31-year-old’s potential had been harnessed by Norman, vindicating Wawrinka chasing his services for some time. “For sure I remember the first practice session, it was down at Lausanne Country Club. I remember it like yesterday actually,” Norman told Australian Tennis Magazine. “Ever since I had stopped working with Soderling (December 2010), Stan wanted to try and contact me to see if I was available to work with him. I didn’t see anything special with Stan. I thought he was a nice guy, he had kids himself, so it was easy for him to understand I couldn’t travel the whole time. He was very easy with everything.”
The Swede knew Wawrinka was a “world class” talent but he had slipped out of the world’s top 10. Norman understood that the project was more about mentality than capability. “Once you get to know the player, you see how he’s responding to the training load, you see where his weaknesses are, you start to realise how he is before the games, how he is during the games, when does he get nervous,” Norman explained. “That’s when I got to know where there was room for improvements and where I could make an impact.”
While Wawrinka is quick to praise the impact of his coach, Norman returns the compliment, insisting that the world No.4 has the perfect open attitude for development. “Immediately you see he had great talents, he adapts very fast to what you say. He was very open to everything I suggested because he had wanted to work with me for so long. It is easy to work with an ambitious guy like that. He has all the tools in the box … so we just made small changes and in particular (improved) mentally.”
Norman was told when he started working with Stan that he was “a little bit soft, not the man for the big occasion.” How far from the truth that statement seems now, with Wawrinka moulded to command on court. “He had the game but I just helped him win Grand Slams, in the big matches, give him confidence,” said Norman. “I made him believe a little bit more in himself, believe that he could win.”
Both teacher and pupil are remarkably modest considering their success in the game – an aspect that appealed to Norman when joining Wawrinka. “I think he is a genuine great guy, normal guy. He prefers to be himself and he is the same with me, my friends back home from Sweden he has never met, or the superstars on tour,” reflected Norman. “You will always hear the truth from him. He’s very genuine.”
Genuine in personality and genuine on the court. There is no showboating or histrionics – merely a no-holds-barred aggression that’s combined with a transparent game plan. Encouraging the Swiss to capitalise on every opportunity, Norman’s advice is clearly working. Wawrinka is undefeated in finals since teaming up with Norman, adding nine titles to his previous tally of four. The reigning French Open champion has dipped outside the top four only briefly since his second major triumph.
Despite such accolades, Wawrinka is adamant that he is yet to join the ‘Big Four’ of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Murray. “I don’t think he’s too modest,” said Norman, adding that while Wawrinka is yet to match that quartet in Grand Slam finals appearances, he’s joined them in ranking. “Stan is not amongst the ‘Big Four’ but he’s finished the season No.4 two years in a row now.”
Norman is driving Wawrinka to find his top gears week in week out. “At his best he can beat anybody, sometimes he can underperform a little bit,” Norman pointed out. “But maybe that’s why a lot of people like him – they don’t know what to expect when he comes on court. Is it the good Stan or average Stan? You never know. He’s a very moody person and moody sometimes on the court.”
...
So how does the former world No.2 transform the knowledge of his playing days into major success for the talented players he leads? One regularly overlooked factor is the academy he has established in his homeland with former Swedish team-mates Mikael Tillstrom and Nicklas Kulti, who formed an unlikely charge to the 1998 Davis Cup title. Their academy – aptly titled “Good To Great” – is an ambitious project that has tailor-made programs for each individual. Wawrinka might be the flagship name but gregarious world No.16 Gael Monfils has signed up and Grigor Dimitrov is also on their books. Swedish brothers Elias and Mikael Ymer, widely touted as future stars, have also been tutored at the Stockholm academy.
Norman believes his triumvirate of professional experience, coaching days with Soderling and academy work all contributed to Wawrinka’s success. “Oh for sure everything is linked. The fact that I’m from a very small city in Sweden growing up, I didn’t really have a coach and I was always coaching myself. I kept writing training diaries from 12-years-old and I was always very into this coaching aspect, even when I was playing,” Norman explained. “I’ve always had a good tennis mind. My personality also suits being a coach rather than a player. Like Stan I don’t really like to be in the spotlight, I like to be the guy working behind the scenes. I learned so many things working with Robin, I have picked up so many things working with the incredible coaches at the academy at home. Everyday I’m learning in this environment.”
The academy is flourishing, with Sweden’s top juniors practising there and international names joining the “comfortable” set up established by Norman and co. With passion spreading across his face, the 39-year-old explained there are further plans for development. “At the moment we are renting courts at the club but we are just about to start building our own facilities. It’s going to be a 15 million euro project with eight indoor, eight outdoor courts, a big fitness centre and player apartments. We’re aiming to open in April 2017 but compared to the big academies we are still only going to be 60 players maximum, mainly helping the Swedish kids.”
By Alex Sharp on May 20, 2016
Interview in Australian Tennis Magazine
http://tennismash.com/2016/05/20/magnus-norman-the-mastermind-behind-wawrinka/
“I started to be really nervous and I started to tell myself, ‘what [the ****] is happening?’ But then I had a good talk with Magnus (Norman), he is always confident in me. He always finds the good words to make me believe in myself and to go on the courts knowing and believing that I can beat the number one player in a Grand Slam final.”
These were the words of stunned French Open champion Stan Wawrinka in a press conference moments after the Swiss blasted world No.1 Novak Djokovic off Philippe-Chatrier Court with “the greatest game of my life.”
...
Clinching the 2014 Australian Open title proved the 31-year-old’s potential had been harnessed by Norman, vindicating Wawrinka chasing his services for some time. “For sure I remember the first practice session, it was down at Lausanne Country Club. I remember it like yesterday actually,” Norman told Australian Tennis Magazine. “Ever since I had stopped working with Soderling (December 2010), Stan wanted to try and contact me to see if I was available to work with him. I didn’t see anything special with Stan. I thought he was a nice guy, he had kids himself, so it was easy for him to understand I couldn’t travel the whole time. He was very easy with everything.”
The Swede knew Wawrinka was a “world class” talent but he had slipped out of the world’s top 10. Norman understood that the project was more about mentality than capability. “Once you get to know the player, you see how he’s responding to the training load, you see where his weaknesses are, you start to realise how he is before the games, how he is during the games, when does he get nervous,” Norman explained. “That’s when I got to know where there was room for improvements and where I could make an impact.”
While Wawrinka is quick to praise the impact of his coach, Norman returns the compliment, insisting that the world No.4 has the perfect open attitude for development. “Immediately you see he had great talents, he adapts very fast to what you say. He was very open to everything I suggested because he had wanted to work with me for so long. It is easy to work with an ambitious guy like that. He has all the tools in the box … so we just made small changes and in particular (improved) mentally.”
Norman was told when he started working with Stan that he was “a little bit soft, not the man for the big occasion.” How far from the truth that statement seems now, with Wawrinka moulded to command on court. “He had the game but I just helped him win Grand Slams, in the big matches, give him confidence,” said Norman. “I made him believe a little bit more in himself, believe that he could win.”
Both teacher and pupil are remarkably modest considering their success in the game – an aspect that appealed to Norman when joining Wawrinka. “I think he is a genuine great guy, normal guy. He prefers to be himself and he is the same with me, my friends back home from Sweden he has never met, or the superstars on tour,” reflected Norman. “You will always hear the truth from him. He’s very genuine.”
Genuine in personality and genuine on the court. There is no showboating or histrionics – merely a no-holds-barred aggression that’s combined with a transparent game plan. Encouraging the Swiss to capitalise on every opportunity, Norman’s advice is clearly working. Wawrinka is undefeated in finals since teaming up with Norman, adding nine titles to his previous tally of four. The reigning French Open champion has dipped outside the top four only briefly since his second major triumph.
Despite such accolades, Wawrinka is adamant that he is yet to join the ‘Big Four’ of Djokovic, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal or Murray. “I don’t think he’s too modest,” said Norman, adding that while Wawrinka is yet to match that quartet in Grand Slam finals appearances, he’s joined them in ranking. “Stan is not amongst the ‘Big Four’ but he’s finished the season No.4 two years in a row now.”
Norman is driving Wawrinka to find his top gears week in week out. “At his best he can beat anybody, sometimes he can underperform a little bit,” Norman pointed out. “But maybe that’s why a lot of people like him – they don’t know what to expect when he comes on court. Is it the good Stan or average Stan? You never know. He’s a very moody person and moody sometimes on the court.”
...
So how does the former world No.2 transform the knowledge of his playing days into major success for the talented players he leads? One regularly overlooked factor is the academy he has established in his homeland with former Swedish team-mates Mikael Tillstrom and Nicklas Kulti, who formed an unlikely charge to the 1998 Davis Cup title. Their academy – aptly titled “Good To Great” – is an ambitious project that has tailor-made programs for each individual. Wawrinka might be the flagship name but gregarious world No.16 Gael Monfils has signed up and Grigor Dimitrov is also on their books. Swedish brothers Elias and Mikael Ymer, widely touted as future stars, have also been tutored at the Stockholm academy.
Norman believes his triumvirate of professional experience, coaching days with Soderling and academy work all contributed to Wawrinka’s success. “Oh for sure everything is linked. The fact that I’m from a very small city in Sweden growing up, I didn’t really have a coach and I was always coaching myself. I kept writing training diaries from 12-years-old and I was always very into this coaching aspect, even when I was playing,” Norman explained. “I’ve always had a good tennis mind. My personality also suits being a coach rather than a player. Like Stan I don’t really like to be in the spotlight, I like to be the guy working behind the scenes. I learned so many things working with Robin, I have picked up so many things working with the incredible coaches at the academy at home. Everyday I’m learning in this environment.”
The academy is flourishing, with Sweden’s top juniors practising there and international names joining the “comfortable” set up established by Norman and co. With passion spreading across his face, the 39-year-old explained there are further plans for development. “At the moment we are renting courts at the club but we are just about to start building our own facilities. It’s going to be a 15 million euro project with eight indoor, eight outdoor courts, a big fitness centre and player apartments. We’re aiming to open in April 2017 but compared to the big academies we are still only going to be 60 players maximum, mainly helping the Swedish kids.”
I love hearing his thoughts. He's interviewed so rarely.
