Top five high-profile player & coach duo in tennis history

A player-coach relationship goes a long way in ensuring success for a tennis player. Unlike team sports, a player-coach relationship is often short-lived, and players are known to switch coaches regularly. Such changes may occur due to a decline in performance or the pursuit of greater achievements.

Tennis has experienced a notable trend where players transition into coaching roles to guide both seasoned and emerging players, irrespective of the reasons behind this shift. The inclination to seek guidance from former professionals and fellow competitors has become increasingly prevalent among players.

In this article, let’s look at the five noteworthy player-coach stints that have yielded favourable outcomes for the mentee and validation for the mentor.

Carlos Moya – Rafael Nadal

Moya joined Rafael Nadal's coaching team in 2016 and remained with him until Nadal retired in 2024. His influence was instrumental in enhancing Nadal's performance. Under Moya's guidance, Nadal experienced a remarkable transformation, progressing from securing only two titles in 2016 to achieving six titles in 2017.

Overall, the relationship gained Nadal eight Grand Slam trophies and a return to the ATP No. 1 ranking to finish the 2017 season as year-end No. 1, up from No. 9 at the beginning of the season.

Lindsay Davenport – Madison Keys

Davenport and Keys began working together in the 2014 off-season when Keys finished the season just outside the top 30.  Although their partnership ended towards the end of 2015, it signified a pivotal transformation for Madison, as she advanced to the semi-finals at the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. This achievement represented her first appearance in the final four of a Grand Slam tournament.

Madison Keys concluded the 2015 season ranked within the top 20, a feat attributed to the guidance of Lindsay Davenport as her coach. This brief coaching period established a foundation that ultimately enabled Keys to secure her first Grand Slam title a decade later at the 2025 Australian Open.

Ivan Lendl – Andy Murray

Murray sought the guidance of Ivan Lendl shortly before the commencement of the 2012 season in an effort to improve his performance on the ATP Tour. During that season, Murray faced defeat in all three of his Grand Slam finals. Having lost his first three finals before clinching the French Open in 1984, Lendl knew a thing or two about waiting for the big moment.

Under Lendl’s mentorship, that moment came for Andy Murray at the 2012 US Open. Earlier in the same year, the Scottish won the singles Olympic Gold medal in London. Lendl further assisted Murray in achieving Wimbledon Championship titles in both 2013 and 2016. Additionally, with Lendl at the helm, Murray earned a second Olympic gold medal in Rio.

Andy Murray – Novak Djokovic

Novak Djokovic roped in Andy Murray as coach nearly a year after the Serb parted ways with Goran Ivanisevic. The six-year partnership (2018-2024) with Ivanisevic produced 12 Grand Slams for Novak. 

Murray began working with Djokovic in November with the Australian Open in mind. The former World No. 1 advanced to the semi-finals in Melbourne but had to withdraw due to a hamstring injury. Prior to the Qatar Open, Djokovic announced that Murray would serve as his coach on an indefinite basis. Following an early exit in the first round at the Qatar Open, Djokovic will now shift his focus to the hard-court events in Indian Wells and Miami.

Boris Becker – Novak Djokovic

Becker took on the task of coaching Novak Djokovic between 2014 and 2016. The gap that fetched the Serb six major titles – two Australian Open, one French Open, two Wimbledon and one US Open title. The partnership between Becker and Djokovic was among the most successful in the history of the ATP Tour, surpassed by the Djokovic–Ivanisevic pairing.

The appointment of Becker as coach helped Djokovic to bounce back and reclaim the No. 1 year-end ranking from Rafael Nadal. The Serbian concluded the 2013 season in the second position, trailing Nadal. With Becker by his side, Djokovic not only increased his Grand Slam victories but also achieved a career Slam.

Cover Credits - Tennis.com