With less than a month before the start of the new season, some players have decided to change their coaching setup before they return to competitive tennis.
This week a quartet of players on the men’s Tour have made announcements regarding who will be guiding them in 2024 with the most notable being Holger Rune. The Danish world No.8 has brought on board Severin Luthi who is best known for being the long-time coach of Roger Federer. Luthi, who has also coached the Swiss Davis Cup team, will work alongside Boris Becker. Rune hired Becker shortly after his early exit from the US Open this year.
“Very happy to welcome Severin to my team alongside Boris,” Rune wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Rune has won four ATP titles so far in his career with the most prestigious of those being the 2022 Paris Masters. This season he achieved a win-loss record of 44-24 and reached the quarter-finals at two out of four Grand Slam tournaments played.
Frances Tiafoe has parted ways with South Africa’s Wayne Ferreira who guided him to the semi-finals of the 2022 US Open. The world No.16 started working with Ferreira in 2020 and he became his main coach the following year. In a statement posted on Instagram, Tiafoe didn’t mention the reason as to why the collaboration has come to an end.
“Just wanted to say thanks to this guy. Three years we shared together…SHEESH we had a ton of success. But sadly we’ve decided to part ways. Thanks for getting me to the player I am today. Nothing but love and respect for you. My guy Wayne Ferriera,” Tiafoe wrote.
Tiafoe will now be mentored by Diego Moyano who is the former coach of US Open champion Coco Gauff. The Argentine is a former top 150 player and has also previously worked for the United States Tennis Association (USTA).
The former coach of Juan Martin del Potro, Franco Davin, is another person who will make a return to men’s tennis as part of Francisco Cerúndolo’s team. The world No.21 recorded five wins over top 10 players this year and reached the fourth round of Wimbledon in what is his best Grand Slam performance to date.
During an interview with ESPN, Cerundolo explained that Kevin Konfederak will be the person who will travel with him around the world. Meanwhile, Davin’s role will be similar to that of a ‘head coach.’
“It is another help to everything we have, a contribution of experience and hierarchy for me and the team. It helps Kevin and it helps me too. It is a group help. Hopefully, it will serve to give that added extra that is needed,” he said.
Finally, chile’s Cristian Garin will be accompanied on the Tour by former top 10 player Mikhail Youzhny during some weeks of the new season, according to a report. Youzhny, who won 10 ATP titles during his career, previously worked with Denis Shapovalov. Garin will also be working with compatriot Paul Capdeville.
The 2024 season will get underway during the first week of January with tournaments in Hong Kong and Brisbane, as well as the United Cup in Australia.
