Ace Ventura wrote:

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twitter.com/ElinaSvitolina/status/1452540397968896005

Svitolina and Andrew Bettles part ways. They had a lot of success, as Elina referenced in her tweet, but it did seem just a matter of time.

She is still 6th in todays rankings, but she has been a benefactor of the Covid system - over 1000 points are from the 2019 YECs, and she still has March 2019 Indian Wells SF points on her record, and a few other 100+ point hauls from before the March 2020 lockdown. 13th in the race, but nearer 18th than 11th points-wise, which paints a more realistic picture of where she is at.

I wonder if Emma would consider linking up with him given the obvious connection, and that he obviously does have significant tour experience as has been involved in some very big tournament title triumphs?

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 Interesting one - I look at these things a bit like Football management - some managers do well at a specific place, build up a lot of credibility but then end up moving on and not being able to do well elsewhere; and then somehow find it again somewhere else; Moyes at Everton, fabulous, dream. Man Utd, never really worked out for him; doing well again now at West Ham; plenty more examples, folks like Roy Hodgson or Claudio Ranieri etc. 

 

I guess my point is that someone like Bettles did well with Svitolina for a long while but what was down to him and what was right, place, right time - will he be able to replicate it? Who knows but these are things Emma and her wise advisors need to think through and work out    

Congrats to Alex Ward - now working with Katie Swan and just got their first title together, the 25k, in Santo Domingo

This is a really good little read

www.theguardian.com/sport/2022/mar/22/master-and-servant-emma-raducanu-roger-federer-how-tennis-stars-tread-a-tricky-tightrope-with-coaches

Tom Hill has been nominated as WTA Coach of the Year (against some strong opposition). Nonetheless, kudos

Tom Hill

Current Player: Maria Sakkari

Ranking at start of year: 6

2022 Year-End Ranking: 6

Highlights:

Sakkari reached career-high ranking of No.3 and consistently remained in the Top 5
Reached four finals, including two WTA 1000-level at Indian Wells and Guadalajara (others include St. Petersburg 500 and Parma 250)
Made first grass-court semifinal of her career in Berlin and made the semifinals or better at three of her first five tournaments of the season
Qualified for her second consecutive WTA Finals
Only one of three players to begin year in Top 10 and not drop out

From the ITF

Mark Bullock of Great Britain has been confirmed as the winner of the UNIQLO Spirit Award for 2022, with Colombias Angelica Bernal named as the runner up.

Launched in 2017 by UNIQLO and the ITF, the award was created to honour an individual or organisation who embodies the principles and core values of UNIQLO, who embraces challenge in pursuit of the promotion of wheelchair tennis and is admired for their integrity and character.

Mark Bullock has been closely involved in the development of wheelchair tennis for 30 years, since first witnessing the sport being played during an exhibition at a Billie Jean King Cup tie at Nottingham Tennis Centre, where he was then working as Tennis Development Officer.

During the 1990s Bullock fulfilled various roles within wheelchair tennis, including being personal coach to former British No. 1 and world No. 8 Jayant Mistry, initiating a wheelchair tennis programme in Cardiff, Wales and becoming Great Britain National Wheelchair Tennis Coach for a three-year period.

He joined the ITF in 2001 as Wheelchair Tennis Development Officer and remained with the ITF for 15 years, becoming ITF Wheelchair Tennis Manager in 2008 until July 2016.

Since leaving the ITF in 2016 Bullock has launched a career as a self-employed Advisor in International Inclusive Sports Development, a wide-ranging role that includes working with and for a number or different organisations, with wheelchair tennis still a key element in his work.

In 2018 he took on the role of Coordinator for the wheelchair tennis events that take place during The Championships at Wimbledon, with the sport continuing to grow and develop and win new fans at the third Grand Slam of the year.

During 2020 Bullock was actively involved in providing online wheelchair tennis coaching for players during the COVID 19 pandemic and he has since expanded the role to online coach education and coach mentoring.

Over the last 30 years Bullock has visited more than 80 countries to develop and promote wheelchair tennis and remains a passionate and leading advocate for the sport.

For the 'olides' on this site, we used to cover Morgan Phillips when he played. The man did well - making ATP 400 or so. An old Daily Mail article which is quite amusing regarding his adventures whilst on tour:

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1238523/Morgan-Phillips-rises-1-000-places-world-rankings-told-LTA-At-25-youre-old-funding.html

And now he's interim head of boys' coaching for the LTA Loughborough elite academy

Will be interesting to see where top coach, Nick Cavaday, goes next to, having just resigned from the academy

I imagine he has interesting plans.....