Do you think the Big4 will ever coach?

Who will coach after retiring?


  • Total voters
    47

The Guru

Legend
Do you think these guys will ever coach a player?

I'll briefly give my thoughts
Federer - I highly doubt it. He's a family man and I think he's got enough interests that he doesn't need the game. I also don't think he'd be the best coach because you can't coach talent. I feel like he'd have a hard time adapting his coaching advice to the limitations of the player he'd coach. He'd be better in the broadcast booth but like Peyton Manning he might be too big a star to do that right after retiring.
Nadal - I could see his post-tennis life going two opposite ways. Either he's relieved he can finally relax and live life or since tennis has consumed his whole life he will feel very empty without it and will need another thing to put his entire self into. It could be coaching or something else. I think it's unlikely.
Djokovic - I think he's got great tennis IQ and has good technique on basically every shot so there's a lot to like about him as a coach. I also think he'd enjoy it a lot. He likes the camaraderie and brotherhood of being a part of a team and working towards a goal. As is the case with each Big 3 member he might be too big a star and take attention off the player unless they are also an ATG. I think he's most likely of Big 3 but I'd still say probably not.
Murray - I think he will and he'll be fantastic at it.

Curious what you all think.
 
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Djokodalerer31

Hall of Fame
None of them will! Federer will retire and probably be hired by Western Media to become yet another tennis pundit or analyst, like Wilander or McEnroe! Nadal will just fade away into obscurity, like Sampras, cuz he doesn't seem to be interested even in the mild spotlight! He would rather spend his entire time with his now wife on Mallorca somewhere under the hot burning sun away from camera and all that stuff! Djokovic loves attention, so he will just like Federer be involved to a certain capacity in Western Media! He may not be getting all the sweetest offers like Federer does, but i concur he will still find his niche as tennis pundit to some degree (maybe he will be an interviewer like Courier one day...)! Murray doesn't seem like the type, who wants to be in the spotlight! In that regard him and Nadal are similar! None of them will be coaching anyone, unless the talent is truly worth investing in (like someone said before in this thread - future possible ATG...) I think Murray and Nadal will become obscure after retirement, just like Sampras and Lendl! But Federer and Djokovic will probably become new McEnroe/Wilander/Becker in about 5-6 years from now! (Federer probably way earlier, since he is very likely to retire much sooner than Novak!) as far as Media representers go...
 

OldschoolKIaus

Hall of Fame
What should the Nadal and Djoko teach?

"Push the ball over the net!"
"Moon ball, now!"
"Whine about roof or heat!"
"If you lost, blame injury."
 

Subway Tennis

G.O.A.T.
Nadal will definitely coach. He already has the coaching academy setup, and won't be able to resist remaining involved in tennis at a strategic level. He's too good, and too obsessed with the game not to do that.

Djokovic will go into some sort of political or diplomatic career after tennis, and might disappear from tennis altogether.

Murray will take the commentary route.

Federer..... Who knows? I can imagine him just disappearing into family life for a long time after finishing up playing.
 

vex

Legend
Murray and Fed I think are the most likely. Can’t see Rafa doing it. Djoker I suspect will become a politician.
 
Federer would in the same style as Edberg when he came on board in Fed's team: the one who will "hire" him will have the same appreciation for him as he had for Edberg.

Murray I can see being involved with the LTA, and definitely as a DC team captain (the ATP cup or whatever its name it is now).

Nadal will be "coaching" at his "academy", no? More like giving clinics to those who already paid him to be there. After all, something has to offset the huge investment in nothingness, so the least he can offer them is having a bit of "glamour" while there. Possible DC captain as well, but for that he needs to be that soon after he retires, as the nature of his character and his dealings will alienate him for all tennis outside of his business more and more as time goes by.

Djokovic I don't see coaching, unless what is known about him changes a lot. I don't see him being given a role in the Serbian tennis federation, and his character doesn't mesh well with most prototypical players: he will have to find someone with the same temperament to coach, and that will be difficult. Maybe someone from Serbia or in general this part of the world, but he needs to be a BIG prospect, and these things are difficult to predict.

smiley_emoticons_santagrin.gif
 

joekapa

Legend
Nadal and Djokovic both have academies. Would imagine they will be involed in coaching, in one form or another. Don;t think either will be a travelling coach. No reason to.

Murray would probably go the media route. He has been posting articles here and there.

None of the big-3 will go the media route. They are too big for them to commentate. Apart from a guest spot here and there.
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru
Do you think these guys will ever coach a player?

I'll briefly give my thoughts
Federer - I highly doubt it. He's a family man and I think he's got enough interests that he doesn't need the game. I also don't think he'd be the best coach because you can't coach talent. I feel like he'd have a hard time adapting his coaching advice to the limitations of the player he'd coach. He'd be better in the broadcast booth but like Peyton Manning he might be too big a star to do that right after retiring.
Nadal - I could see his post-tennis life going two opposite ways. Either he's relieved he can finally relax and live life or since tennis has consumed his whole life he will feel very empty without it and will need another thing to put his entire self into. It could be coaching or something else. I think it's unlikely.
Djokovic - I think he's got great tennis IQ and has good technique on basically every shot so there's a lot to like about him as a coach. I also think he'd enjoy it a lot. He likes the camaraderie and brotherhood of being a part of a team and working towards a goal. As is the case with each Big 3 member he might be too big a star and take attention off the player unless they are also an ATG. I think he's most likely of Big 3 but I'd still say probably not.
Murray - I think he will and he'll be fantastic at it.

Curious what you all think.

Rafa replies: "...I see myself living here [in Mallorca]. I also have the academy, which is a very important part of my present, but also my future. The academy is a very personal project. I love the sport, I love the kids and I'm sure I'm going to have a big work here, after my tennis career. In the future, I want to be totally involved in every single decision. That's why we built this place [the academy] here in Manacor. Mallorca Baleares [in the Baleric Islands] is my home, and I plan to be here for the rest of my life. I am trying to do the things to be a good example for the next generation. And try to do the things that I will love them to do."

Source:
Nike's video about Rafa, released in August 2019 (Turn on English subtitles by clicking the CC icon at the bottom of the video):


Recently, in February, Rafa inaugurated his second academy - in Kuwait.
 

wangs78

Legend
I can see Nadal doing it. Since Moya became his coach it seems he really enjoys hanging with his coaching team as it seems very collaborative (not so much a tutor-pupil relationship but more a soccer team vibe). His enthusiam at the Laver Cups so far also suggests he can really get into coaching. Novak, not so much, he seems too meditative. Fed, he’s got better things to do being a pitch man of luxury products and managing the RF brand. Murray, possibly, but hard to see him being a source of mental support for a player given his outburts on court during his playing days.
 

Wurm

Professional
Federer's already been demonstrating he'll be a rubbish coach with all his pep talks at the Laver Cup about staying up at the baseline and rushing the opponent to Alexander Zverev that completely ignore that's a terrible idea for the mop haired double-fault wonder. I don't think Federer will limit himself to one aspect of tennis alone post-retirement anyway, so I don't see him just coaching.

I very much see Rafa doing coaching but I'm not sure it'll be individuals on tour. I see him either sticking to his academy and/or coaching local kids. I'd expect him to be the Spanish national coach for whatever international competitions are going when he's retired, however.

I dunno with Novak. Half of me thinks he'll be an appallingly bad coach... half of me suspects he might end up being brilliant at it.

Murray - I think a lot of players will want to pick his brains once he's officially retired and I get the feeling he's got by far the most understanding of how to make the most of a player in spite of their limitations so he might find it hard to resist the temptation to coach. However, like Rafa I see him more as someone who's likely to be happiest coaching out of the limelight and sticking to working with up coming kids at centres of excellence in the UK.
 

SonnyT

Legend
Nadal already has two tennis academies going. But being a coach himself, that's another story.

I don't see any of them being a coach, unless one of the sons has all world potential.

All are fabulously rich, so they don't need to take broadcasting gigs, like Connors and Becker, unless they want to do it.

Murray did a BBC gig during '18 Wimb, and was very good at it, from what I read. At that Wimbledon, everyone was talking Federer-Nadal finals. But after the first few rounds, Murray told people to keep their eyes on Djokovic.

Each is likelier to do broadcasting than coaching, I think. Nadal should limit himself Spanish-speaking roles. Murray won't have to worry. After his retirement, UK networks will be begging him. I think he'll be a vast improvement over Castle and Henman.
 
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Don't think any of them will coach without going bankrupt beforehand. Maybe some clinics, but traveling with the player all over the world, no.
 

octobrina10

Talk Tennis Guru
I can see Nadal doing it. Since Moya became his coach it seems he really enjoys hanging with his coaching team as it seems very collaborative (not so much a tutor-pupil relationship but more a soccer team vibe). His enthusiam at the Laver Cups so far also suggests he can really get into coaching. Novak, not so much, he seems too meditative. Fed, he’s got better things to do being a pitch man of luxury products and managing the RF brand. Murray, possibly, but hard to see him being a source of mental support for a player given his outburts on court during his playing days.

Speaking of 'better things' (in your opinion) to do, Rafa also has his brand and, besides that, he is part owner of restaurants, hotels and is engaged in the real estate business. At the begining of this year, he bought 33% of the investment company founded & controlled by his long-time business partners (in the restaurant and hotel business):
So, Rafa will have plenty of good options for his future. :)
 
O

OhYes

Guest
All of them will act as one for brief period of time to give back tennis some popularity. I don't expect to last more than 1 year.
 

Red Rick

Bionic Poster
Fed will be ambassador for evwrything forever

Nadal will be president of Real Madrid

Muzz or Djok I could see, but honestly I think theyd both be way too expensive for players
 

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
Federer will retire and probably be hired by Western Media to become yet another tennis pundit or analyst, like Wilander or McEnroe!
You've got to be kidding. Fed isn't particularly witty or chatty and would be an indifferent (at best) commentator and has already said he couldn't and wouldn't do it. Never mind his two sets of twins and Uniqlo modeling commitment, which will likely extend far beyond their 10 year initial contract. Borg tried being a commentator in the early 80's in America and was atrocious. Fed would be better, but only marginally.
 

BGod

G.O.A.T.
I think there's zero chance for the Big 3 actually. They'll have waaaaaaay too many opportunities to "just" coach.

Murray given British tennis probably will try his hand at least once.
 

Red Rick

Bionic Poster
You've got to be kidding. Fed isn't particularly witty or chatty and would be an indifferent (at best) commentator and has already said he couldn't and wouldn't do it. Never mind his two sets of twins and Uniqlo modeling commitment, which will likely extend far beyond their 10 year initial contract. Borg tried being a commentator in the early 80's in America and was atrocious. Fed would be better, but only marginally.
I actually think Fed could do it, but he's got easier, more rewarding things to do. Borg I don't know but I assume he was just a good looking introvert who got pegged as enigmatic or something.
 

Red Rick

Bionic Poster
I think there's zero chance for the Big 3 actually. They'll have waaaaaaay too many opportunities to "just" coach.

Murray given British tennis probably will try his hand at least once.
The way they should do it is they should play the YE top 4 in a system where they all play each other, and they're assigned a Big 4 player as coach a day in advance every single match. That would be fun.
 

BGod

G.O.A.T.
The way they should do it is they should play the YE top 4 in a system where they all play each other, and they're assigned a Big 4 player as coach a day in advance every single match. That would be fun.

That would be hilarious.

For the record on the OP here's the list of all-timers who coached:

Lendl: Coached Murray for over 3 years total, then A. Zverev for a year
Connors: Coached Roddick for 2 years then Sharapova for 1 match
Agassi: Coached Novak for less than a year
Edberg: Coached Federer for 2 years although Roger has stated he was more a mentor

*McEnroe was part of Raonic's coaching staff for a brief period.

So you see there no Laver, Rosewall, Borg or Sampras and McEnroe has yet to be a real lead coach. Of the list that DID coach, Agassi didn't achieve much and Connors was limited outside of a few good runs by Andy. Edberg took up coaching the GOAT and isn't given too much credit by him and ultimately didn't result in any Slam wins.

So Ivan Lendl really is the only all-time great who coached successfully resulting in 3 Slams a WTF and #1 rank for Andy Murray. Now I don't know how seriously to take Zverev accusing him of disinterest but nothing can take away from Lendl's success with Murray. But that's pretty much it folks.
 

Red Rick

Bionic Poster
Edberg deserves credit for helping Fed revamp his game imo. Think that change was bigger than what Ljubicic did, unless Ljub hypnotized Djoko himself.
 

McGradey

Hall of Fame
Murray definitely should

I don’t see Roger as the coach type. So much of the game seems to come to him naturally. People like Murray who had to strategise more to overcome more talented opponents often make great coaches
 

SonnyT

Legend
Edberg deserves credit for helping Fed revamp his game imo. Think that change was bigger than what Ljubicic did, unless Ljub hypnotized Djoko himself.

Edberg just had rotten luck, Ljubijic good. In '14-15 at Wim, Fed was a younger and better version in losing to Djokovic than the one in '17 in beating Cilic. I thought that was obvious.
 

Terenigma

G.O.A.T.
I personally think all 4 should. However you feel about them, paticularly Murray. they have undoubtably been the best 4 players in the last 10 years and with Federer and Nadal you could extend that. It would be criminal if they did not pass on the knowledge.

However do i think they will? I think Nadal/Murray are the most likely to consider it. I can't see Djokovic or Federer doing it just because it doesn't seem in their nature and with Federer, i think he has a big family to raise. An issue that may even be a consideration for Murray too.
 

Terenigma

G.O.A.T.
Each is likelier to do broadcasting than coaching, I think. Nadal should limit himself Spanish-speaking roles. Murray won't have to worry. After his retirement, UK networks will be begging him. I think he'll be a vast improvement over Castle and Henman.

Castle i get but Henman has been consistently one of the best BBC commentators imo. He stays as unbiased as he can and is generally pretty tolerable. I would welcome Murray either way but just gonna put my two cents in to defend him as a commentator and general tennis pundit. There have been better no doubt but he's definitely not that bad.
 

Cashman

Hall of Fame
Murray will probably be involved with the LTA/Wimbledon in some capacity. They're not short of a quid, but they can also throw all sort of honours and prestige at him which is worth more than money to someone in his position.

Nadal has made it pretty clear that his main business interest after he retires is going to be his academies. Maintaining a tennis profile will help them significantly, so I wouldn't rule out him doing some part time coaching or commentary at some stage. Travelling full-time on tour is a different matter - I can't see anyone with as much money as him wanting to endure that grind for a coach's salary.

Federer seems much more interested in the corporate side of tennis, with his agency and his involvement in tournaments like Laver Cup. I'd expect him to put his focus there after retirement.

Djokovic seems destined for politics.
 

Bender

G.O.A.T.
I can totally see Fed, Rafa, and mury working either as a coach or consultant for future players. Djokovic, not so much. Perhaps he would coach his kids should they decide to go pro.
 

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
Edberg deserves credit for helping Fed revamp his game imo. Think that change was bigger than what Ljubicic did, unless Ljub hypnotized Djoko himself.
Idk. At the time I was a big fan of what Edberg was doing. I thought Roger needed to be more aggressive and attack the net at every chance because he was too old to rally with all the younger competition.

But there he was years later winning slams again at 35+ almost strictly from the baseline and nearly winning a 5 hour Wimbledon final at 38. He may have been better off committing to the Lub gameplan back in 14-15 with shoring up his backhand. Those tricks at the net gave the rest of the tour fits, but it did nothing to help him beat Djokovic at a major.
 

Third Serve

Talk Tennis Guru
That would be hilarious.

For the record on the OP here's the list of all-timers who coached:

Lendl: Coached Murray for over 3 years total, then A. Zverev for a year
Connors: Coached Roddick for 2 years then Sharapova for 1 match
Agassi: Coached Novak for less than a year
Edberg: Coached Federer for 2 years although Roger has stated he was more a mentor

*McEnroe was part of Raonic's coaching staff for a brief period.

So you see there no Laver, Rosewall, Borg or Sampras and McEnroe has yet to be a real lead coach. Of the list that DID coach, Agassi didn't achieve much and Connors was limited outside of a few good runs by Andy. Edberg took up coaching the GOAT and isn't given too much credit by him and ultimately didn't result in any Slam wins.

So Ivan Lendl really is the only all-time great who coached successfully resulting in 3 Slams a WTF and #1 rank for Andy Murray. Now I don't know how seriously to take Zverev accusing him of disinterest but nothing can take away from Lendl's success with Murray. But that's pretty much it folks.
Becker???
 

clout

Hall of Fame
That would be hilarious.

For the record on the OP here's the list of all-timers who coached:

Lendl: Coached Murray for over 3 years total, then A. Zverev for a year
Connors: Coached Roddick for 2 years then Sharapova for 1 match
Agassi: Coached Novak for less than a year
Edberg: Coached Federer for 2 years although Roger has stated he was more a mentor

*McEnroe was part of Raonic's coaching staff for a brief period.

So you see there no Laver, Rosewall, Borg or Sampras and McEnroe has yet to be a real lead coach. Of the list that DID coach, Agassi didn't achieve much and Connors was limited outside of a few good runs by Andy. Edberg took up coaching the GOAT and isn't given too much credit by him and ultimately didn't result in any Slam wins.

So Ivan Lendl really is the only all-time great who coached successfully resulting in 3 Slams a WTF and #1 rank for Andy Murray. Now I don't know how seriously to take Zverev accusing him of disinterest but nothing can take away from Lendl's success with Murray. But that's pretty much it folks.
Becker has by farrrrr been the most successful coach among former players
 
I think Fed has the most strategic/shot selection/"play" (for lack of better word) insight. Don't know how effective he'd be at communicating it which is step one, and then forming a close personal connection with his student, which is step 2.
Nadal and Novak would likely not have the detailed insights Fed does, but would likely connect to their player and communicate much more effectively.
 
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