Every player wants to be coached by a champion

THAT old footballing adage about superstar players struggling to make the grade as coaches doesn’t always hold true. For every Diego Maradona, after all, there is a Zinedine Zidane.

In tennis? There isn’t even a debate. A big-name coach is the must-have ingredient in any Slam-seeking player’s entourage.

Andy Murray has Ivan Lendl, Novak Djokovic turned from Boris Becker to Andre Agassi in search of some zen focus on court, former world No1 Carlos Moyà has been credited with overseeing Rafa Nadal’s recent resurgence — and even John McEnroe has dipped in and out of frontline coaching at the top end of the game.

Former US Open finalist Greg Rusedski, an Arsenal fan very much in the ‘Wenger out’ camp, can see football gradually shifting towards the tennis model — inspired, at least partly, by Zidane’s Champions League-winning exploits at Real Madrid.

As for why having a living legend as a coach seems to work for leading men on the ATP circuit, well, it’s only logical.

Guys like Roger Federer — now coached by former world No3 Ivan Ljubicic, who took over from Stefan Edberg — and their peers are one-man teams, supremely confident in their own ability. It can be hard for them to take

any advice from even the most qualified coaches. If the guy dishing out the pointers just happens to have a bagful of medals, however…

‘All the best look for great champions who can relate to what they are going through,’ said Rusedski. ‘It’s not always the case in football, I know, but I think that will change. Thierry Henry offered to coach the Arsenal youth team for free and they didn’t want him; he is now with Belgium.

‘Antonio Conte was a top player. Zinedine Zidane at Real Madrid, he has won it all and become manager, and Carlo Ancelotti. ‘Having that tactical knowledge

and knowing what it feels like to be a player. That is what great players bring — passion, tactics, the psyche. And you can’t really question them because they have done it all on the court.

‘Tennis has been very fortunate. In coaching, we’ve seen Michael Chang, Agassi, McEnroe, Lendl, Ljubicic working with Federer, Moyà with Nadal.

‘Carlos is a former world No1 who has helped Rafa improve his game immeasurably over the last nine months or so. Moya has done such a fantastic job. Rafa now has a better serve, a better backhand, his forehand is better, his return is better.’

There’s a telling anecdote about Murray’s first Wimbledon title triumph back in 2013. Specifically about the excited Team Murray chatter after he’d won his semi-final — interrupted by a typical Lendl deadpan asking what time practice was the next day. Assessing the importance of the famously taciturn former French, US and Australian Open champion to Murray’s career, Rusedski pointed out: ‘Andy hadn’t won a major until Lendl showed up. When Lendl left, he didn’t win another major. Lendl shows up again and he wins another major — and ends the year as No1. So it is not a coincidence. ‘I just think Lendl has been through everything that Andy is going through. He is very straightforward in the way he puts his point across. ‘Jamie Delgado has done a great job, committing to 40 weeks a year, but that is a different thing. ‘There are very few people who have been through what Andy has done, being World No1 and winning multiple majors. Andy still has to win five more majors to catch up with Ivan. I think that benefit really helps him.’ Rusedski believes Murray is motivated not by the target of equalling Lendl’s eight major titles — but by completing the career Grand Slam, adding the French and Australian titles to his pair of Wimbledon crowns and single US Open triumph. The greatest British tennis player of all-time exceeded expectations at Roland Garros earlier this month, reaching the semi-finals of a tournament dominated by Rafa’s pursuit — and capture — of a remarkable tenth French Open title.

In a way, Murray not quite reaching the final possibly did him some good, given the form Nadal was in.

‘I don’t care who Rafa was playing, no one was going to stop him winning La Decima,’ said Rusedski. ‘But Andy does like a challenge. He always needs something out there to motivate him, whether it is something out there on courtside, something to get his spice going.

‘I can’t wait for this Wimbledon. Last year I thought it was Andy’s year. This year it is much more open. For Andy to win the title back-to-back would be fantastic.

‘I think Federer and Murray are probably the two most possible winners. And for Rafa, he becomes dangerous once he gets into the second week.’

All the big names will be at the All England Club, of course. On court and, increasingly, watching on from the coaching boxes.

Greg Rusedski beat Thomas Enqvist to be crowned champion at the Brodies Invitational in front of packed stands at the Gleneagles Arena over the weekend. The two-day Brodie’s Invitational is on the ATP Champions Tour and, as well as giving fans the chance to see legends in action, also includes grassroots workshops involving some of the biggest names in tennis.