5 tennis superstar coaching partnerships ft. Maria Sharapova, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray
Over the years, several former tennis stars have ventured into tennis coaching post-retirement. There have been a few instances where a legendary tennis player has coached another current star and helped them towards glory.
Former tennis icons like Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, and Ivan Lendl have all played their hands at coaching some of the greatest players of all time. While some have been successful in their ventures, others not so much.
Roger Federer, Andy Murray, and Novak Djokovic have all turned to these former greats for guidance at some point in their careers.Here is a list of 5 tennis superstars coaching partnerships that got the fans excited.
1. Jimmy Connors-Maria Sharapova
Maria Sharapova announced Jimmy Connors as her coach in July 2013. The Russian had won just one Major since 2008 and needed a change in the backroom staff to change her fortunes. Connors was one of the most sought-after coaches at that time, having worked with Andy Roddick before.
The Sharapova-Connors partnership looked an exciting prospect for tennis fans but turned out to be a major disappointment as Sharapova and Connors worked together for just one match before parting ways.
#2. Ivan Lendl-Andy Murray
Andy Murray enjoyed his best tennis days with Ivan Lendl as his head coach. The Brit star won two Wimbledon titles and a US Open title in 2012, along with two Olympic gold medals with Lendl at the helm. Murray and Lendl worked together three times during their stop-and-start stint together.
3. Boris Becker-Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic and Boris Becker worked together from 2013 to 2016, achieving incredible success. The star duo won 25 titles, including six Grand Slams.Boris helped Djokovic win his maiden French Open title which propelled the Serbian to the World No. 1 ranking. However, the duo decided to part ways in 2016 after a successful stint together.
#4. Stefan Edberg-Roger Federer
In December 2013, Roger Federer announced that Stefan Edberg joined his coaching team. The legendary duo worked together for two years from 2013-15 before calling it quits. In a statement, while hailing Edberg as a ‘childhood idol’ Federer thanked the Swedish great for working with him.
5. Jimmy Connors-Andy Roddick
Jimmy Connors and Andy Roddick worked together for 19 months from 2006 to 2008. Roddick, who won the US Open in 2003, failed to win another Major during their career.
