Two high-profile coaches are under investigation by the WTA Tour for engaging in unprofessional, potentially abusive relationships with their players, Telegraph Sport understands.
Affaires between players and coaches are alarmingly common on the women’s tour, leading one top coach to suggest the situation is “deprofessionalizing and deligitimizing” the entire sport. But at least the WTA leadership — spurred on by recent revelations of 1980s champion Pam Shriver on these pages — is showing signs of a solution to this long-standing problem.
The WTA has advertised a new position – “director of security”. Behind the scenes, some coaches are now noticing a more open and interested attitude on the part of the tour management towards reports of worrying behaviour.
However, there are still critics who believe that the lack of an anonymous hotline for such reporting is a sign of a deeper lack of engagement.
Two leading coaches have spoken to Telegraph Sport about the need for action in a world where other sports are doing more to guard such boundaries. “I’ve never seen so many boyfriends who are also coaches in women’s tennis than now,” said Vladimir Platenik, an accomplished Slovakian coach who has worked with recent French Open semi-finalist Daria Kasatkina and many other household names.
“There had been cases before, but at the moment it’s a bit too much for my taste. The problem is that there are a few coaches who attack every player they coach. It’s something very strange, because actually the prize money went up, the girls earn enough money to pay the good coaches. But it’s like a trend.”
The point was echoed by Marc Lucero, who is at Wimbledon this week with his newest client Steve Johnson, but has also worked with a number of successful American women, including Shelby Rogers and Alison Riske.