Ryan Harrison has hired Tres Davis as his traveling coach to work alongside his father Pat, whom he is also working closely with.
Harrison told TENNIS.com that he signed Davis to a one-year contract and is hopeful that their relationship will be stable. The two know each other from the time when Pat Harrison and Doug Davis were both teaching in Texas. Tres Davis had a relatively short pro career and is looking to break into the coaching ranks.
The 20-year-old Harrison worked with coach Grant Doyle in 2012 and coach Scott McCain the year before that. Ryan’s father Pat had been working at the Nick Bollettieri Academy, but now is traveling with his younger son Christian, and will only work at Bollettieri’s when he in Florida.
“The whole father son coaching relationship is tender situation and you have to be smart about, and fortunately my dad and I’s relationship has gotten better and better over the last two years,” Ryan Harrison told TENNIS.com. “I’m getting older and we’ve had as good as relationship as we’ve ever had and that’s why I am so excited this year. Everything is in a good place. My dad and I have talked every single day since I’ve been [in Australia]. He’s not one of those father figures who doesn’t know tennis, he played at a very high level and knows me more than anyone. Part of it is maturity on my part. You get to the point where everything your dad is telling you seems like criticism and them you get older and you realize that he’s saying things for your best interest. You can have disagreements that can be productive conservations, rather than arguments.”
Tres Davis and Pat Harrison are said to be constantly communicating. Ryan Harrison said that one of the things he likes about Davis is that he wants to make his mark as a coach with him.
“It’s not just a job for him, he’s really invested. It’s not a financial thing for him. He wants what’s best for me because he likes me as a person and he wants to prove himself as coach as well. It’s really important that he’s motivated as well.”