When Ivan Lendl crashed out to Richard Krajicek at the 1992 Sydney International, nobody expected the two men to be still competing against each other 24 years on. It was a theory that would have been classed as crazy in the early 90s, yet this week’s Aegon Championships will reignite that rivalry, albeit in a very different scenario.
This time around, the two now holds the role of the advisor as suppose to the player. Krajicek will be hoping to guide Stan Wawrinka to grass-court glory, while Lendl will seek to replicate his previous success with Andy Murray. The strategy of bringing in a former player has exploded in recent year’s with numerous top ranked players working alongside previous champions of the game. Speaking about this once unheard approach, new ‘super-coach’ Krajicek explained that the movement has increased the quality of the current game.
“I think it can be a combination of things,” he said about what a super-coach can bring to a player’s game.
“I think Roger’s (Federer) forehand volley has improved a lot since he was with Edberg. I think other things on how to play the game or how to approach the game – Boris has done a great job (with Novak Djokovic)”.
The Primary focus of the tennis legends is to be there for the current stars of the game, however, their competitiveness is still as fierce as ever. Even now the champions of the past are still discussing who they might be able to beat.
“Lendl I think I would, I think Boris too,” Krajicek joked about who he thinks he can still beat on the court.
“Lendl would be a close match, but I think Chang (Kei Nishikori’s mentor) is the best that I know of.”
It can be argued that the focus should be on the current players and not if some former professional can defeat another. On the other hand, the passion they have for the game is one explanation as to why super-coaches has become such a prominent feature. Their ongoing rivalries and experience can only benefit the ones that they are helping. One person to support this viewpoint was Djokovic back in 2014.
“I have to keep on moving. I have to try to improve myself not just on the court, but understand well the mental aspect, what is happening in those finals, why I am not able to win a grand slam title in the last couple of years,” the world No.1 said shortly after losing in the final of the 2014 French Open.
“It’s one of the reasons why Boris is on board. [He is] somebody who [was] a multiple grand slam winner [and] a No.1 of the world. He can definitely identify himself through my own course of life and experience and career. So we’re working on it. It’s a process that takes a little bit of time.”
Two years on from those comments, Djokovic has won six grand slam titles, including a maiden French Open trophy last month. All of this was achieved under the watchful eyes of Becker.
The era of the super-coaches is in full swing and it is something that is making the men’s game more exceptional than it was before. The rivalries of Becker and Lendl now lives on in Djokovic and Murray. The ability to transfer rivalries to a new group of players in a sport in uncommon, which is why tennis has become so unique.
The super-coach movement is certainly here to stay.
