5 coaches nominated for 2024 Coach of the Yr | ATP Awards | ATP Tour

Awards

5 coaches nominated for 2024 Coach of the Yr

Malisse, Planque, Russell, Stine and Trotman make up shortlist

December 03, 2024

Earlier than champions are topped in entrance of packed stadiums on the ATP Tour, they’re made on the follow court docket below the watchful eye of their coaches. These coaches typically work within the background, pleased to go away the glory to their gamers. Within the 2024 ATP Awards, our 5 Coach of the Yr nominees step into the highlight.

This 12 months’s nominees are Xavier Malisse (coach of Alexei Popyrin), Emmanuel Planque (Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard), Michael Russell (Taylor Fritz), Brad Stine (Tommy Paul) and James Trotman (Jack Draper). The nominees and winner on this class are voted on by fellow coaches.

ATP Awards winners shall be introduced throughout Awards Week, beginning Monday, 9 December.

Xavier Malisse (Alexei Popyrin)
As a part of Popyrin’s teaching staff alongside Neville Godwin, Malisse — a former High 20 participant within the PIF ATP Rankings — has helped the Aussie climb to the cusp of that elite group this season. Below the tutelage of Malisse and Godwin, a former High 100 participant himself, Popyrin gained the largest title of his profession on the Cincinnati ATP Masters 1000 and entered the High 25 for the primary time.

“Neville and I labored loads on the backhand. We have been engaged on extra selection, slicing just a little bit, after which working with the serve,” mentioned Malisse, who additionally credited health coach Evan Jenkins and physiotherapist Valentin Hollier for enhancing Popyrin’s power.

Malisse and Godwin additionally emphasised persistence with Popyrin, encouraging him to work the factors extra and assault on the proper second.

Malisse’s teaching type in his personal phrases: “Neville and I are just a little bit totally different. After we are on the match, Neville could be a bit extra intense generally, speaking to Alexei. I keep extra very relaxed, attempt to hold feelings in examine, which isn’t all the time straightforward. However I wish to say little issues on the proper time. I believe teaching is figuring out when to say one thing.”

Emmanuel Planque (Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard)
Planque guided the 21-year-old Mpetshi Perricard to a breakout season, with the Frenchman successful his first two ATP Tour titles (Lyon, Basel) and breaking into the High 30 of the PIF ATP Rankings for the primary time.

“Giovanni had a wonderful 2024 season, managing to enhance his manner of enjoying week after week,” mentioned Planque, pointing to the 4 tournaments (together with three on the ATP Challenger Tour) Perricard gained from February to Could. “He’s beginning to grow to be acquainted with high-level matches. The top of the season despatched us this message by successful in Basel. Nonetheless, we’re conscious that we nonetheless have plenty of work to do to sooner or later be among the many finest gamers.”

Mpetshi Perricard was additionally nominated for a 2024 ATP Award, within the Most Improved Participant class.

Planque’s teaching type in his personal phrases: “It is by no means very easy to outline your manner of working. Definitely, I’m demanding and I strongly imagine in work values however in reality, I merely hope to be a human, honest, and respectful coach of the athletes with whom I work.”

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Michael Russell (Taylor Fritz)
Russell helped Fritz attain his first Grand Slam closing on the US Open in addition to his first title match on the Nitto ATP Finals. After posting a 17-4 report on the Grand Slams, greater than doubling his earlier excessive for main wins in a 12 months, the American completed the season at a career-high PIF ATP Rating of No. 4.

Requested the place he made the largest affect on Fritz’s recreation this season, Russell’s response was indicative of his holistic strategy to teaching: “I believe there may be some affect in all components of his recreation to persevering with to be bodily stronger and extra explosive on and off the court docket, to being extra snug ending factors on the web in addition to having extra confidence in stress conditions and phases.”

Russell’s teaching type in his personal phrases: “My teaching type can be a mixture of holistic, democratic, and autocratic. It’s a must to have open communication and be empathetic whereas nonetheless creating construction and accountability. Taylor and I’ve an excellent synergistic relationship.”

Brad Stine (Tommy Paul)
Stine helped Paul win three titles this season (Dallas, Queen’s Membership, Stockholm) after the American entered 2024 with only one ATP Tour trophy to his title. These three successful weeks, plus a closing run in Delray Seashore, led Paul to complete the 12 months at a career-high PIF ATP Rating of No. 12.

Stine feels his largest affect on Paul this season was on the psychological facet of the sport, notably his “dedication to his identification as a participant and his psychological toughness”.

Stine’s teaching type in his personal phrases: “Collaborative.”


James Trotman (Jack Draper)
Trotman was in Draper’s nook for the Briton’s breakout season, which included his first two tour-level titles in Stuttgart and Vienna. Set to show 23 on 22 December, Draper will end the 12 months at a career-high PIF ATP Rating of No. 15.

“I believe the largest space I helped Jack together with his tennis this season was to play extra aggressively, particularly within the greater moments in matches,” Trotman mentioned of his season alongside the British No. 1. “A mentality in these conditions to play to win.”

Draper was additionally nominated for a 2024 ATP Award, within the Most Improved Participant class.

Trotman’s teaching type in his personal phrases: “My teaching type can be very a lot round sticking to a plan and never being too reactive, given the character of the Tour with its ups and downs. Attempt to establish these areas of improvement and be in keeping with the work to make these enhancements over time.”