Top 10: Who would be the best coaches?

[masterclass]

Assuming all were available and willing at some point to coach after their careers ended, who among the current top 10 players would make the best coaches in your opinion? Feel free to give your reasons or make comments for any or all of them, order them as you like, etc.

Edit: I'll give 3 coaching scenarios to help pin this down a bit.

1. Coaching children to develop their basic skills
2. Coaching the developing player (mid to late teen) to get them to ATP level and beyond.
3. Coaching the experienced player who has yet to win a major, or is not a top 10 player, to enable him get him to that level.

1 Nadal, Rafael (ESP):

2 Djokovic, Novak (SRB):

3 Wawrinka, Stanislas (SUI):

4 Ferrer, David (ESP):

5 Berdych, Tomas (CZE):

6 Murray, Andy (GBR):

7 Del Potro, Juan Martin (ARG):

8 Federer, Roger (SUI):

9 Gasquet, Richard (FRA):

10 Tsonga, Jo-Wilfried (FRA):

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[brokenshoelace]

RE: Top 10: Who would be the best coach ?

Very difficult to tell. There's almost never a true indicator as to which players would make great coaches, and not enough evidence to suggest that great players make great coaches. Moreover, it often hinges on WHO you're coaching in addition to context (nature of relationship, length of tenure, etc...). For example would Toni Nadal -- easily one of the most successful coaches of all time, if not THE most successful -- be as great coaching someone else?

Regardless, it's a fun topic.

As far as the first scenario goes, and I'm merely speculating here, I'd think Rafael Nadal would be good with kids. He seems to have the mixture of social skills, patience, pragmatism, and mentality to coach kids. In fact, his attitude as far as fighting spirit, love of the game, passion, and most importantly, discipline, is something he could perhaps pass on to kids better than anyone, as difficult as that would be to teach. Nadal himself said in a press conference at the US Open last year that he believes coaches focus too much on developing technique, stroke mechanics, etc... when working with children, while neglecting more important things. I think he'd have a very interesting philosophy that would work with kids.

As far as the second scenario goes, that's pretty tough to tell. Maybe Djokovic or Ferrer. Obviously all top 10 players know how much hard work it takes to make it on the ATP tour, but someone like Ferrer might know better than most, given how hard he's had to work to overcome some limitations, both physical (related to size) and technical. Meanwhile, Djokovic has the combination of talent, mind and hard work to guide someone to make that leap to the ATP tour. I guess in a way it would mirror his journey to turn from "best of the rest" to "best" as far as challenging Fedal goes.

The final scenario, I'd have to go for Murray. Not only because he was the one had to wait the longest to get his first slam, and faced the most pressure, but I feel Murray from a tennis IQ perspective, would make an excellent coach (though again, this is nothing but speculation).

 

[masterclass]

Thanks for your thoughts, Broken. All good points.

Your lead paragraph is understood, and is one reason why I added the different scenarios to provide different types of players. And we know that some good coaches aren't a good fit for certain players while they are for others. So as far as this exercise goes, let's make the assumption that the coached players will be generally teachable and that the better coaches will be ones who are able to adapt their methods and abilities to a larger variety of players.

You've given some of your choices for each scenario. Do you have any opinion about who might do well at all three?

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[masterclass]

By the way, is there a way to edit the poll to be multiple choice? It should be best coaches, not best coach. Thanks!

Respectfully,
masterclass

 

[Riotbeard]

I think Murray would be a very good coach, although Broken has given an answer that I pretty much second. I might try to think this through further when I have more time.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Thanks for your thoughts, Broken. All good points.

Your lead paragraph is understood, and is one reason why I added the different scenarios to provide different types of players. And we know that some good coaches aren't a good fit for certain players while they are for others. So as far as this exercise goes, let's make the assumption that the coached players will be generally teachable and that the better coaches will be ones who are able to adapt their methods and abilities to a larger variety of players.

You've given some of your choices for each scenario. Do you have any opinion about who might do well at all three?

Respectfully,
masterclass

If I had to select one to do all 3 it would probably be Murray or Djokovic.

 

[isabelle]

I guess Murray could be a good coach

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I will give the first scenario to Roger. Every time I see him in an event that involves kids, his eyes are lit up and he becomes a child with them. And his foundation in every shot is so solid, I would not hesitate to hand my child over to him to learn the very basics necessary to be successful in this sport.

Rafa gets the second category. he personifies the hard work , dedication and strategy to make it to the big leagues.

Third category , I cannot answer, because at that point, the coach alone is not the determining factor. It is the player AND the coach. There has to be a match. Say Murray can be a great coach for player A, but might not work for player B at all. Coaching at the pro level honestly is a crapshoot. Nobody knows what pairing will work.

 

[nehmeth]

Funny, I would pick Djokovic to be the best with little kids. With his various charities, he spends a lot of time with them anyway and that seems to be where his heart is. Secondly, he stayed with tennis and developed because of the formative years with Jelena Gencic.

With the developing player and the player on tour, I don't know why, but Murray is the only one who floats to the top in my mind. It's not because I'm a fan either. What he learned and developed with his mother as his coach and the choices he's made with his coaching staff as an adult, he's the guy I'd suspect would be the one.

So I went and picked Murray in the poll.

 

[ftan]

I think Roger would be good with kids, having experience with kids at home, he will be the most at ease.

Rafa could be good for 2nd category.

I am not so sure about Murray TBH, as he does not seem to be very patient. I think he would get frustrated often if his charge is not listening to him and things are not going right and I think that is a huge negative for a coach.. ofcourse all this is from what I have seen of him on court

 

[Kieran]

I think Roger would be a great mentor to a guy in Category 3: Coaching the experienced player who has yet to win a major, or is not a top 10 player, to enable him get him to that level.

He's got great insight and his analysis is always on the money. Plus, his experience as one of the greatest ever, and a man who's played and won on all surfaces.

Rafa, I don't know. He's of a personality type that I think is utterly driven, but can that type work well with others?

Nole would be great with kids.

And so would del Potro...

 

[nehmeth]

I think Roger would be a great mentor to a guy in Category 3: Coaching the experienced player who has yet to win a major, or is not a top 10 player, to enable him get him to that level.

He's got great insight and his analysis is always on the money. Plus, his experience as one of the greatest ever, and a man who's played and won on all surfaces.

Rafa, I don't know. He's of a personality type that I think is utterly driven, but can that type work well with others?

Nole would be great with kids.

And so would del Potro...

I can see all your points Kieran and agree with most of them. It's just the DP with kids one that seems a bit random... I'm interested to hear what would give you that impression.

 

[Kieran]

He's a lighthearted guy at times, very calm, seems to play with a smile when the heat is on, I just think he might be playful and generous with kids. Same reason as Nole, actually, but I can't see DP teaching the kids dancing too... :snigger

 

[nehmeth]

but I can't see DP teaching the kids dancing too... :snigger

mmmm. I don't see Nole doing that either... well, I mean, when I do - I just shake my head. :nono

 

[Moxie]

I picked Ferrer as a potential coach, without distinguishing between categories. I think Javier Pilés was a great (and tough) coach for him, and Ferrer understands the work it takes, and the way to structure a career intelligently. I always wonder about uber-elite guys as coaches. Of the Big 4, I wouldn't even consider them until they had in hand an especially talented player, and then a ways down the road, so I'd pick them for Cat. 3, exclusively, though Murray perhaps the only one for working with them at an earlier stage. That's just a feeling. Other than that, you never know what someone's post-pro life will be like. (I do, however, see Nadal coaching Davis Cup, and Novak, too.)

 

[tented]

By the way, is there a way to edit the poll to be multiple choice? It should be best coaches, not best coach. Thanks!

Respectfully,
masterclass

I adjusted it to be multiple choice.