Finding "The One": The complex courtship between player and coach

A lively game of coach-themed musical chairs has taken over the WTA tour lately. It began when Eugenie Bouchard stopped working with Nick Saviano, who went on to coach Sloane Stephens. The Canadian then took on Sam Sumyk, who had worked with Victoria Azarenka for the past five years. So Azarenka added Sasha Bajin to her team—he was Serena Williams’ longtime hitting partner—and hired Wim Fissette, who had just ended a partnership with Simona Halep. On and on it goes.

The reasons for this high turnover rate among coaches are many, and go well beyond just results. Finding the right coach is a difficult and delicate task. Players aren’t just hiring someone to add a little more spin to their forehands—they are bringing someone into their lives.

A coach is a confidant and a cheerleader, a problem-solver and a part-time therapist. It’s a 24/7 job, most often on the road for 90 percent of the year, and the relationship isn’t just contained to the court. Nick Bolettierri has said that when he works with a player he studies their entire lives, down to their schoolwork and friendships. One of my coaches as a young junior said (and did) the same thing.

When I was about 13, my parents hired a fresh-off-the-boat Hungarian in his late 20s to be my coach. He chain-smoked and barely spoke English, but we clicked and my junior career blossomed. This somewhat random guy became part of the family; he even lived with us for a time. For more than five years, he was one of the biggest influences in my life.

A coach and player need to mesh both professionally and personally, and there are many pressures that can influence the success of their partnership. Parental involvement can become an issue, as we’ve seen with Caroline Wozniacki. Recently, Agnieszka Radwanska’s father bashed his daughter’s coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski, for being disloyal and money-driven. Money can complicate relationships, and tennis pros—who can make a lot of money—are no exception.

A significant other can cause strain as well. A lot of time, emotion and energy is invested into making the player-coach relationship work—often at the expense of the player’s other half. That’s also why it’s not unusual for a player and coach to end up dating. Just like in real life, breakups can be painful after so many years together.

Then there are tactical disagreements, of which the possibilities for trouble are endless. Ana Ivanovic is notorious for switching coaches, sometimes multiple times a year. Wozniacki has tried a few different options, and even worked with Aranxta Sanchez-Vicario for about a minute. Actually, that was about the amount of time Maria Sharapova and Jimmy Connors were together for.

It’s taxing, but when the relationship works, a player and coach share a lifelong bond—along with as titles, prize money and glory. Look at Serena and Patrick Mouratoglou, who have enjoyed both Grand Slams and good times. There are other very successful duos, but they’re the exception to the rule.

It’s clear from this recent trend that getting the coaching recipe right isn’t simple. That’s not a big surprise, though, since this intimate and turbulent investment is rooted in trial and error. Finding the right coach is like finding “the one”—rarely, if ever, is that special person found right away.

When it’s right, it really works, but when it’s wrong, it’s onto the next. Let the musical chairs continue.