Week 24 - WTA250 Nottingham, UK - Grass

Nix · Futures level

RE: Week 24 - WTA250 Nottingham, UK - Grass

Coup Droit · Tennis legend

To try and be quite neutral, there is one story about JB that, I think, is most illuminating:

I'm at Wimbly qualis. He's there watching his players. He is sour, shakes his head every time they make a fault, has a real po-face on, refuses to move his chair when he's slightly in the way of the girl with the camera, the players look tense, he never gives one word of encouragement, it's honestly painful beyond belief - and his players lose

THEN it starts to rain, I'm sitting outside of the food part, waiting for it to pass, as is he, with another two blokes (other coaches, I assume), all about his age - and they start talking about veteran matches, and old matches - and JB postiively comes to life - he's animated, he's upbeat, I don't know if they're actually matches he played, I'm not wanting to eavesdrop, but he is just a different man.....

And my takeaway is that he simply is not cut out for coaching young players - he's a guy who wants to do tennis/talk tenjis/play tennis with other guys, of his age. He's simply in the wrong job (imo).

PS I also have grave doubts about how a 60 year-old guy who plays a single handed backhand, nearly 100% slice, and a lot of coming to the net, can actually be a good coach for young players. I guess it's not impossible, but I remember once going to go to Les Petits As and the Czech girls, the Serbian girls, all the girls, had 35-40 year-old guys, knocking up with them before their matches, hitting nice top spin backhands to them, sitting at the right height. And our girls had a guy about 60 (no idea who), hitting them low sliced backhands that barely got off the floor - and as soon as the GB girls went on court they were completely flummoxed as their opponents backhands were sitting up at about shoulder height. This was some time ago, it's true, but the problem is still there....

the addict · Tennis legend

Nix wrote:
the addict wrote:
emmsie69 wrote:
markymc1983 wrote:
What is it about JB's coaching style that is so objectional?
His overall demeanour is soul sucking (allegedly)
His courtside coaching leaves a lot to be desired - and I don't think he knows what a smile is.
My impression from seeing him 'in action' is that he's really negative unlike some of the coaches I've seen that are really encouraging and positive. I saw him with Lacy at Surbiton and my heart sank. Good to know he's not her regular coach.

I was about 10ft away from him during final qualifying on the Monday and could here every word.

dodrade · Futures qualifying

Priesty wrote:
Didn't know Katie had a new coach now - has JB no longer being involved made a difference do we think?

Who is her new coach?

Great to see her win her first WTA title and back in the Top 100 again, she's been held back by injury and illness for so long but hopefully her moment has finally come.

PockyTastic · Futures level

dodrade wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Didn't know Katie had a new coach now - has JB no longer being involved made a difference do we think?
Who is her new coach?
Great to see her win her first WTA title and back in the Top 100 again, she's been held back by injury and illness for so long but hopefully her moment has finally come.

Biljana Veselinovic who was (and maybe still is?) coaching Harriet recently.

Nix · Futures level

PockyTastic wrote:
dodrade wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Didn't know Katie had a new coach now - has JB no longer being involved made a difference do we think?
Who is her new coach?
Great to see her win her first WTA title and back in the Top 100 again, she's been held back by injury and illness for so long but hopefully her moment has finally come.
Biljana Veselinovic who was (and maybe still is?) coaching Harriet recently.

https://www.wtatennis.com/coaches/1633494/biljana-veselinovic/bio

A good coaching CV.

RJH1962 · Intermediate Club Player

dodrade wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Didn't know Katie had a new coach now - has JB no longer being involved made a difference do we think?
Who is her new coach?
Great to see her win her first WTA title and back in the Top 100 again, she's been held back by injury and illness for so long but hopefully her moment has finally come.

If she plays every time like she did on Sunday then top 50 is really possible. Just hope she can stay fit and well

RJH1962 · Intermediate Club Player

PaulM wrote:
Saved one match point, then Harriet missed the put away volley off the return and burst into tears. Heather a superb supportive team mate as always.

Close on, and they could have won it. Neel played a very good MTB (Eikeri was pretty average).

Wonder if Harriet's reaction was due to the negative response to the match against Katie B.

the addict · Tennis legend

RJH1962 wrote:
PaulM wrote:
Saved one match point, then Harriet missed the put away volley off the return and burst into tears. Heather a superb supportive team mate as always.

Close on, and they could have won it. Neel played a very good MTB (Eikeri was pretty average).
Wonder if Harriet's reaction was due to the negative response to the match against Katie B.

Apparently Harriet has been suffering from tonsilitis and has been on antibiotics for two weeks, so I'll give her a bit of leeway for her below-par performances and demeanor on court.

HarryGem · Club Coach

Not often we can say this but Katie's great win was the culmination of a really positive two weeks for the top GB women players. Hard to think of many negatives but a lot of positives for all of them really.

From a ranking perspective good news too as it will be all to gain at Wimbledon with no points to defend.

Priesty · Challenger level

the addict wrote:
Nix wrote:
the addict wrote:
emmsie69 wrote:
markymc1983 wrote:
What is it about JB's coaching style that is so objectional?
His overall demeanour is soul sucking (allegedly)
His courtside coaching leaves a lot to be desired - and I don't think he knows what a smile is.
My impression from seeing him 'in action' is that he's really negative unlike some of the coaches I've seen that are really encouraging and positive. I saw him with Lacy at Surbiton and my heart sank. Good to know he's not her regular coach.
I was about 10ft away from him during final qualifying on the Monday and could here every word.

Years ago one of the big criticisms of the British game was that the coaches didn't have the necessary experience of top level tennis to be able to guide the newer players along, but this just goes to show that having that experience doesn't necessarily make you a great coach.

GAMEOVER · Satellite level

Priesty wrote:
the addict wrote:
Nix wrote:
the addict wrote:
emmsie69 wrote:
markymc1983 wrote:
What is it about JB's coaching style that is so objectional?
His overall demeanour is soul sucking (allegedly)
His courtside coaching leaves a lot to be desired - and I don't think he knows what a smile is.
My impression from seeing him 'in action' is that he's really negative unlike some of the coaches I've seen that are really encouraging and positive. I saw him with Lacy at Surbiton and my heart sank. Good to know he's not her regular coach.
I was about 10ft away from him during final qualifying on the Monday and could here every word.
Years ago one of the big criticisms of the British game was that the coaches didn't have the necessary experience of top level tennis to be able to guide the newer players along, but this just goes to show that having that experience doesn't necessarily make you a great coach.

I was told years ago that Fred Perry was a great player but no good as a coach,

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

PockyTastic wrote:
dodrade wrote:
Priesty wrote:
Didn't know Katie had a new coach now - has JB no longer being involved made a difference do we think?
Who is her new coach?
Great to see her win her first WTA title and back in the Top 100 again, she's been held back by injury and illness for so long but hopefully her moment has finally come.
Biljana Veselinovic who was (and maybe still is?) coaching Harriet recently.

Maybe that was behind the little contretemps at the net - if shes moved from Harriet to Katie ?

indiana · Tennis legend

No, I think we as a forum team basically worked that one out.

I do think it was all about Harriet misinterpreting Katie's pointing to forehead gesture, which she had indeed done previously and seemed a very inward gesture to herself and possibly her team but not directed at anyone else.

NB: I am not trying at all to make any big deal.about it. It happened, it was unfortunate, but I wouldn't get on Harriet's back about it (.the idea that it could be a Wimbledon WC issue seemed ludicrous to me ). But just saying that I do think that was the issue.rather than anything to do with the apparent coaching swap about.

JonH comes home · Tennis legend

indiana wrote:
No, I think we as a forum team basically worked that one out.

I do think it was all about Harriet misinterpreting Katie's pointing to forehead gesture, which she had indeed done previously and seemed a very inward gesture to herself and possibly her team but not directed at anyone else.

NB: I am not trying at all to make any big deal.about it. It happened, it was unfortunate, but I wouldn't get on Harriet's back about it (.the idea that it could be a Wimbledon WC issue seemed ludicrous to me ). But just saying that I do think that was the issue.rather than anything to do with the apparent coaching swap about.

Fair dos and it was a misunderstanding clearly, I said that myself - I just wondered if that made Harriet more edgy towards any perceived gesture and took it wrongly as a consequence . Doesnt really matter