Last week produced plenty of shake-ups even by the standards of the ever-changing world of pro tennis.
The biggest news in singles came from the Federer camp, when world No. 1 Roger Federer ended his three year working relationship with coach Tony Roche.
A short, almost curt, yet polite, statement was issued via Fed’s website. “I thank Tony very much for his efforts over these last years, during which I appreciated the 12-15 weeks per season we would work together,” he said in the statement. "I am also grateful for the sacrifice he made, traveling so far from his home in Australia and leaving his family."
Federer was more forthcoming in Hamburg. “It's something that's been inside myself for a few months,” he said. “He's helped me a lot but in the end he was a part-time coach. We only were together for 15 weeks and distances were also not so easy. I just thought the communication wasn't going very far any more.”
The decision came after Federer notched his fourth loss of the season to date, nearly equaling the number of matches he lost all year in 2006.
Top prospects to replace Roche include a couple linked to Lleyton Hewitt. Hewitt’s former coach Darren Cahill, who was close to Federer’s former coach and mentor Peter Carter, is perhaps the forerunner.
But don’t cry for Roche – speculation in Oz is that he may hook up with Hewitt, who had approached him for a coaching gig when Hewitt was No. 1 in the world. Roche was unable to accept the invitation due to health problems, but it doesn’t appear that anything can keep the two Aussies, who have a mutual liking and respect for one another and share a home base in Syndey, apart. Roche’s diehard practice routines and the work ethic he demands from his charges should be no problem for the intense Hewitt, who at No. 20 in the world, is hungry to crack the Top 10 and beyond.
The game of musical coaches continues. On to the Frenchman, Gael “Force” Monfils. After a dismal season thus far, which includes only three wins and eight first-round losses, Monfils is moving to change his coach for the third time since last season. The 78th ranked Monfils is leaving Olivier Delaitre after a few short months for another compatriot, Tarik Behabiles, the current coach of German Benjamin Becker and the former coach of Andy Roddick.
Monfils has faced criticism for his performance and his inability to hang with the other young guns on tour like Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, and countryman Richard Gasquet.
In an attempt to turn things around, he is planning to ditch his French digs in favor of Miami, where Benhabiles is based. Monfils spent last December in Bradenton training at Bolletteri’s but chose Miami instead.
Monfils cited the need of “fresh air and a challenge” as the reason for his split with coach Olivier Delaitre. He concedes that his decision to make the coaching switch is also linked to his need for a change of scenery and attitude.
“Everyone knows for a long time that I love the United States. It is a new experience which presents itself and I would like to live over there,” he told France’s L’Equipe.
“After much reflection, I decided that deep down, this was the right decision because that is what I [truly] wanted.”
Monfils is currently training in Miami with Benhabiles for the upcoming French Open, and plans to spend about 15 weeks a year there. Compatriots Sebastian Grosjean and Tatiana Golovin also train in that neck of the woods.
Changing partners in the world of doubles is nothing new. Players team up with different partners almost every week based on availability, draws, and timing. Breaking up a winning combination, however, is pretty unusual.
But it appears that a top team is indeed parting ways – the third-ranked combination of Daniel Nestor and Mark Knowles.
According to Toronto’s Globe and Mail, Nestor has instigated the split after nearly 13 years of partnership. Nestor, a Canadian with Yugoslav roots, will pair up with Serbian Nenad Zimonjic from Wimbledon onwards, leaving Bahamian Mark Knowles and Zimonjic’s former partner Fabrice Santoro in search of new sidekicks.
''It was a very difficult decision, especially when we're such good friends,'' Nestor said. ''It's not something I felt good about and that made it that much harder. But we're not jelling as well as we did, even in the matches we win.''
The decision came last month after the tandem, who won 37 doubles titles including two Grand Slams together, lost in the quarterfinals in Barcelona. They are still teaming up this week at the Masters Series Hamburg and will presumably stick together the French Open as well.
''It was very unexpected,'' Knowles told the newspaper. ''We're No. 3 in the 2007 team standings and it's in the middle of the year. It's a little unprofessional, but it won't diminish what we've accomplished together.''
Not all the drama in doubles, it seems, is on the court.