Larry Stefanki - Tsonga Pick Up That Phone

As the curtain fell on Roddick's career, there was another talent that was also about to be out of the game too. Step forward Larry Stefanki. The veteran tennis coach. Has coached some top players in his time and even changed their fortunes. Rios, Kafelnikov and Roddick. He is a coach that has pedigree and is someone that will be sought after.

Step forward the following players:

Jo Wilfried Tsonga - Hasn't had a coach now for a couple of years and he has certainly found himself needing one in such critical situations. Wimbledon semi's in 2011 and 2012. The highest ranked player without a coach could really use one right now. To many he is a player capable of winning a Slam with his lack of tactical nous letting him down. Would be the obvious choice.

Fernando Verdasco - Hasn't really kicked on since 2009 and has really shown his mental fragility in some big matches. Has got a big game and it can still be developed with the right coach by his side. Has a lethal FH and a solid BH. Just seems to mentally fall apart due to the slightest thing.

Bernard Tomic - Maybe his potential is being held back ever so slightly with the father/son combination. He might be a prospect that really interests Stefanki. He is young and with the right direction could pick up the mantle once Federer and Nadal set sail into the sunset.

Donald Young - 2012's biggest loser. No not the weight loss show, but in terms of his W/L ratio has lost a shed load of matches in 2012 and has gone backwards. Had a superb run at the US Open last year and many thought he could kick on from this, but instead sacked his coach and hired his parents. The lack of travelling might be enough to tempt Stefanki.

Do you see him coaching again?

Yeah good call, this no coach thing is really not working for Tsonga he is not the most intelligent player when it comes to his shot selection or technically on the backhand and return. He also seems to lack in fitness when compared to the other player's in the top 10. Stefanki would be a great addition to the Tsonga team. Tsonga has so much physical and shotmaking ability but it just seems to be forever unrefined.

Nice article. Tsonga is a good call and the kind of all court player than Larry likes working with. Cant see it being Verdasco, he's heavily into the group Adidas coaching network. Tomic cant get out of his father's clutches...likewise Team Young wont let their son go elsewhere given they think they know it all running a tennis academy in Atlanta.

It would be a disgrace for any of those players to have their talents and imagination stolen from them by this devil coach. Brad Gilbert could help Tomic or Young, the other 2 don't need a coach, especially NOT Stefanki lol.

Tsonga could appear to need a coach but I wonder if he comes into the category of players who you just have to let get on with it.
Would JWT be the player even he is now if he was more conservative and less spontaneous ? OK, he has horrible patches in matches and MAY BE better coaching could help eradicate this.
Slightly expanding this - does JWT come into the category of the ultra-talented player who has perhaps too many game-plan options ? It could be argued that planning for matches is so much easier for the one-dimensional players who have only a few different ways of playing (baseline bashing and scrambling).
Does, say, David Ferrer, fret about just how he's gonnna play a match ? Probably not. He knows he's going to run his little legs off and keep on plugging away. Does the admirable Ferrer have a coach? I don't know. But would it even matter?

Well when you read about how Ferrer was coached in his youth its no wonder he puts 100% into every point and every match.

Tsonga has said that having a coach spoils his enjoyment of the game, or words to that effect.
I'd rather he enjoyed himself.

JHMarx. For the most part, Tsonga DOES look as if he's enjoying it and he is, arguably, one of the most exciting players to watch on the tour.

Andy Murray thought he could do it without a proper coach. He was wrong.