Hot-Rod Contracts Connors
Andy Roddick's camp announced today that he's hired former tennis star Jimmy Connors to be his new coach. This should be interesting.
Roddick's game hasn't been the same since he fired Brad Gilbert as coach. Gilbert guided Roddick to the 2003 US Open title, and Roddick hasn't won a Grand Slam event since. I don't know why Roddick fired Gilbert, but barring any truly severe conflicts of personality, it was a mistake. Gilbert's forte is maximizing a player's unfulfilled potential; it's what he did for himself on tour, and as coach for Roddick and Andre Agassi. And it's what he should still be doing for Roddick, who may have more unfulfilled potential than any other player on the ATP Tour.
Instead, Roddick has hired Connors.
Connors is a tennis genius, at least as a player. Whether he can transfer that knowledge and knack to another, I don't know — he's never coached before. But my primary concern is that he has a fiery, paranoid personality that I can't envision will mesh well with Roddick's laid-back demeanor. If Roddick didn't get along with Gilbert, how will he remain amiable with Connors? It's like saying jalapenos are too hot, so you'll try a habanero instead.
The only hint that the couple might not be so odd is that they've already been consulting since early June, after Roddick lost in the first round of Roland Garros. Does six weeks of getting along indicate potential for a few years of professional chemistry?
One sign for optimism is that Connors' words indicate he's attacking the proper problem: Getting Roddick to use his head to maximize his skills.
"It's not always in the game," Connors says. "It's the intangibles that could make the difference, along with a few tweaks here and there. I'm not breaking down and criticizing everything. I'm just trying to make him the best that he can be."
(Incidentally, this is pretty much what Gilbert did for Roddick, too.)
Roddick's game hasn't been the same since he fired Brad Gilbert as coach. Gilbert guided Roddick to the 2003 US Open title, and Roddick hasn't won a Grand Slam event since. I don't know why Roddick fired Gilbert, but barring any truly severe conflicts of personality, it was a mistake. Gilbert's forte is maximizing a player's unfulfilled potential; it's what he did for himself on tour, and as coach for Roddick and Andre Agassi. And it's what he should still be doing for Roddick, who may have more unfulfilled potential than any other player on the ATP Tour.
Instead, Roddick has hired Connors.
Connors is a tennis genius, at least as a player. Whether he can transfer that knowledge and knack to another, I don't know — he's never coached before. But my primary concern is that he has a fiery, paranoid personality that I can't envision will mesh well with Roddick's laid-back demeanor. If Roddick didn't get along with Gilbert, how will he remain amiable with Connors? It's like saying jalapenos are too hot, so you'll try a habanero instead.
The only hint that the couple might not be so odd is that they've already been consulting since early June, after Roddick lost in the first round of Roland Garros. Does six weeks of getting along indicate potential for a few years of professional chemistry?
One sign for optimism is that Connors' words indicate he's attacking the proper problem: Getting Roddick to use his head to maximize his skills.
"It's not always in the game," Connors says. "It's the intangibles that could make the difference, along with a few tweaks here and there. I'm not breaking down and criticizing everything. I'm just trying to make him the best that he can be."
(Incidentally, this is pretty much what Gilbert did for Roddick, too.)
posted by Chris | 3:40 PM
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