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

It has been a long-established trend for tennis players to turn to former players for coaching guidance in their prime.

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. The reason for the change could be a drop in form and a search for more success.

Regardless of the reason for the change, tennis has witnessed players slide into the role of coaches to mentor both established and upcoming players. Turning to former professionals and peers has been a noticeable trend among players. 

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Here are five noteworthy player-coach stints that have yielded favourable results for the mentee and validation for the mentor.

Carlos Moya – Rafael Nadal

Moya signed up with Rafael Nadal in 2016 and was part of his coaching team until Nadal hung up his racquet in 2024. Moya was a crucial factor in Nadal’s performance. Carlos Moya scripted a turnaround for his fellow Spaniard, from winning just two titles in 2016 to claiming six 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.

Also Read: List of singles players to achieve Career Grand Slam

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.  Though the partnership ended towards the end of 2015, it marked a turnaround for Madison- reaching the semi-finals at the Australian Open and the quarter-finals at Wimbledon. It was her first-ever appearance in the last four at a Grand Slam event.

Madison Keys finished the 2015 season in the top 20, thanks to the presence of Lindsay Davenport in her corner. The short-lived coaching stint laid the groundwork for Keys to clinch her maiden Grand Slam a decade later at the 2025 Australian Open.  

Ivan Lendl – Andy Murray

Murray turned to Ivan Lendl just before the 2012 season got underway to help improve his fortunes on the ATP Tour. In the 2012 season, Murray lost 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 guidance, that moment came for Andy Murray at the 2012 US Open. Earlier that year, the Scotsman won the singles Olympic Gold in London. Lendl also helped Murray to the Wimbledon Championship titles in 2013 and 2016. A second Olympic gold medal came in Rio for Murray, with Lendl in charge.  

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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  reached the semi-finals in Melbourne but was forced to retire with a hamstring injury. Just ahead of the Qatar Open, Djokovic confirmed that Murray would be his coach ‘indefinitely.’ After a first-round exit at the Qatar Open, the Serb will turn his attention to the hard-court swing at Indian Wells and Miami.

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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 Becker–Djokovic combination was one of the most successful on the ATP Tour, surpassed by the Djokovic–Ivanisevic pairing.

Hiring Becker as coach helped Djokovic bounce back to retake the No. 1 year-end ranking from Rafael Nadal. The Serbian finished the 2013 season in second place behind Nadal. With Becker by his side, Djokovic doubled his Grand Slam tally and completed the career Slam.

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