Matosevic Gives Lots Of Credit To New Coach Woodforde

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 13th August 2013

ATP Tennis Tournament in Washington, DC.

Matosevic Gives Lots Of Credit To New Coach Woodforde

epa03810452 Australia's Marinko Matosevic reacts after defeating Canada's Milos Raonic during their men's singles match at the Citi Open ATP tennis tournament in Washington, DC, USA, 01 August 2013. Matosevic won the match 7-5, 7-6 to advance. EPA/PETE MAROVICH |

Australia’s Marinko Matosevic had shot up 37 places on the ATP World Tour rankings in the past fortnight after successive quarterfinal finishes in both Washington DC and Montreal and often combustible 28 year-old hands most of the credit to the cool head of his newly appointed coach Mark Woodforde.

Bosnian born Matosevic and Aussie doubles legend Woodforde have only been working together little more than a month after hooking up in the aftermath of Wimbledon where the player lost in the first round. Two more opening round exits in Newport and Atlanta did not augur well but Matosevic credits Woodforde with reviving his spirits when he was considering turning his back on the entire North American hardcourt campaign, including the US Open.

“It saved me in a lot of ways,” Matosevic who maintained he had been suffering off-court personal problem, the details of which he would not discuss.

He said: “Just off-court personal stuff. It’s finished but it’s still tough. People don’t realize that outside the sport, we’re human.”

Matosevic had not won consecutive matches since May after rising to a career-high 39th in the rankings in February when he made a last-eight run at Memphis and the grim run saw him plummet to 83rd spot on the rankings after enjoying a career high of 39 in late February.

He revealed the lowest point was when he was forced to retire because of a bout of food poisoning during his first round defeat to young American Jack Sock at Newport. His intention was to go home to Melbourne, forgetting the US Open and the events leading into it.

“That was the height of the personal stuff,” he said. “I thought about pulling out of the rest of the hardcourt season and going home. “I guess Mark Woodforde saved me from going home.

“I’d been wanting to work with him for about 18 months and then it finally became possible. He’s made me realize tennis is what I love doing. It’s my job and so now I’m just trying to focus on that.

“Plus Mark developed a pretty good game plan which worked well for me in Washington and Montreal.”

Matsoevic, now back up to 56 on the rankings, putting him above another Aussie legend Lleyton Hewitt, beat Nikolay Davydenko and Milos Raonic in Washington and after qualifying in Montreal ousted Benoit Paire and Tommy Haas before losing to eventual champion Rafael Nadal.