Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
We always talk about the great tennis coaches and rarely hear about the worst. Who are some of the most incompetent, unsuccessful coaches of all time? All I can think of is Jimmy Connors, but maybe he wasn’t that bad.
Worst coaches of all time
- Thread starter Swingmaster
- Start date
daggerman
Hall of Fame
I'm not familiar with Jimmy's actual coaching, but the doomed-from-the-start situation with Sharapova is certainly a major strike against him.
I'll nominate Jermaine Jenkins. Almost ruined Osaka's very, very promising career.
Parent-Coaches probably deserve a category of their own. But I'm not qualified to identify which among them are the worst (aside from the toxically abusive ones -- Tomic, Dokic, etc.)
I'll nominate Jermaine Jenkins. Almost ruined Osaka's very, very promising career.
Parent-Coaches probably deserve a category of their own. But I'm not qualified to identify which among them are the worst (aside from the toxically abusive ones -- Tomic, Dokic, etc.)
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
Yeah, I guess parent coaches shouldn’t count, since they deserve a ton of credit for getting their kids to the pro level in the first place, even if they ultimately botched it.
UnforcedTerror
Hall of Fame
Pepe Imaz?
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
Dean Goldfine (not the worst, but pretty bad).
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
Who’d Todd Martin coach? He seems like he’d be a good coach. Got an Annecone vibe.
Third Serve
Talk Tennis Guru
f**ked up Djoker's serve in 2010.
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
Usually I start threads that I don’t care much about. But I really do want to hear about some terrible coaches.
MeatTornado
Talk Tennis Guru
Jimmy really turned Andy's career around at a time when he was spiraling downward. He took him about as far as he could, but there was no coaching that could get him past peak Federer.
Todd Martin coached Mardy Fish from 2007-July 2009 when he finished ranked #39, #24, and #55. Then, in 2010 and 2011, Fish had his career-best years, finishing #16 and #8.
Then, from August 2009-April 2010, Martin coached Djokovic and screwed up his serve. Of course, in 2011, Djokovic would go on to have one of the best seasons in history.
I think he takes this.
Then, from August 2009-April 2010, Martin coached Djokovic and screwed up his serve. Of course, in 2011, Djokovic would go on to have one of the best seasons in history.
I think he takes this.
accidental
Hall of Fame
Roger Rasheed
Took Hewitt from number 1 to number 17 the next year
Also oversaw a drop in rankings for Monfils and Tsonga
Took Hewitt from number 1 to number 17 the next year
Also oversaw a drop in rankings for Monfils and Tsonga
T
TheNachoMan
Guest
The female coach that Murray had in 2014 (can’t remember her name)
Mauresmo? She had mixed results w/Murray, but she coached Bartoli to the 2013 Wimbledon title and was part of Azarena's team when she was ranked #1.
Backspin1183
Talk Tennis Guru
Judy.
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
That’s disappointing. Not to stereotype, but Martin has the look of a competent person.
D
Deleted member 771911
Guest
Didn't Rasheed also turn Dimitrov into a player camping behind the baseline? I remember hearing that.
BillKid
Hall of Fame
Nick Bollettieri did a good job with his academy but many of his trainees were sharing similar play style and were missing something. For me, it was as if some important concepts of the game (both technical, mental and tactical) escaped Bolettieri completely. Agassi would have never become such a champion without Brad Gilbert. Of course, Bolletieri played an important role in Monica Seles career, but off the top of my head, I think she was already very strong and promising before meeting him.
Not saying he is among worst coaches of all time, but he was not among the best ones.
Not saying he is among worst coaches of all time, but he was not among the best ones.
Swingmaster
Hall of Fame
But wasn’t he more of a figurehead? I assume he had instructors who knew their stuff. When he was coaching someone, like Becker, was he really the dude doing the coaching? Did he himself ever actually coach anyone?
BillKid
Hall of Fame
Possible for some players, but AFAIK he was still like a guru in his academy. I remember he really put Agassi under his wing and they were inseparable for a good amount of time.
Not sure why he left Agassi not long after the 1992 Wimbledon win. Maybe Bolettieri understood that it was necessary for Agassi fulfilment. Would be interested to learn more about this story, if anyone knows.
Subway Tennis
Legend
hole crap, i originally thought that was Ernie's own idea. I cant believe a sane person came up with the seagull!
He was not female.
tennis_pro
Bionic Poster
Roddick had good results with Connors. Would need more samples of Connors coaching too, don't think he coached anyone else.
Edit - he also coached Sharapova but that lasted like 2 weeks lmao. One gigantic ego against another gigantic ego.
Shaolin
G.O.A.T.
It may have been his idea, not sure. But no sane coach would have let him do it!
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