Groeneveld Being Wooed By Three Top Players

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 17th October 2013

Groeneveld Being Wooed By Three Top Players |

Sven Groeneveld, the highly respected Dutchman who for the last seven years has been the fulcrum of the adidas Players Development Program, could be ready to go back on the open coaching market and become the centre of the three way tussle between female players who wear the three stripes.

Former world no.1’s Caroline Wozniacki and Ana Ivanovic as well as Britain’s Laura Robson are all looking for somebody with knowledge and experience to be 100% in their corner, traveling full time and offering exclusive coaching. The 48 year-old from Amsterdam perfectly fits the bill.

Groeneveld has worked with all of them in his limited adidas role that precludes him from helping a player confront another contracted to the company. Now the coach whose resume before joining adidas included spells with Monica Seles, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Mary Pierce, and Greg Rusedski amongst others, has been downgraded to “consultant” status on the performance program.

The scheme, initially set up in 2005 under the direction of Jim Latham (Head of adidas Global Sports Marketing Tennis), now has only two dedicated staff in the German coach, Mats Merkel, and American fitness trainer Gil Reyes. Australian Darren Cahill remains another contributing consultant but his intensive work with broadcaster ESPN takes up much of his time.

Ivanovic, a former French Open champion, split with British coach Nigel Sears after Wimbledon and recently has been traveling with a Serbian back up team of hitting partner Nemanja Konitc , fitness coach Zlatko Novovic, and physiotherapist, Branko Penic. Groeneveld was in her corner for much of the time at Roland Garros in 2008 but was forced into neutrality for the final as Ivanovic played Dinara Safina (another adidas player) in the final.

Now approaching her 26th birthday in a couple of weeks, Ivanovic is ranked world no.14 and lost the final of Linz last week. She remains determined to recapture top five status and needs firm direction.

Earlier this year Piotr Wozniacki told Danish media he wanted to step away from coaching daughter Caroline and that the team in search of a full-time coach. Thomas Hogstedt, the Swede who parted with Maria Sharapova in the summer, has been widely assumed to be the favorite for the role but no concrete moves have been made and the Wozniackis have always enjoyed a cordial role with Groeneveld who is aware of the chemistry in the family camp.

Robson has probably spent the least time of the three with Groeneveld and despite still only being 19 years-old, has this year fired both Zelkjo Krajan and Miles Maclagan. Prior to the French Open, Groeneveld said of Robson: “Who knows how far Laura can go over the next five years? You will have people like Azarenka, Wozniacki and Radwanska standing between her and the big titles, but I am sure she will be very motivated to challenge them.”

Topics: 10sballs, Ana Ivanovic, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Caroline Wozniacki, Espn, French Open, Laura Robson, Monica Seles, Sports, sven groeneveld, Tennis, Tennis News, Victoria Azarenka

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KelvinNieberg says:

October 17, 2013 at 12:06 pm

RT @10sBalls_com: Groeneveld Being Wooed By Three Top Players : Sven Groeneveld, the highly respected Dutchman who for th… http://t.co/KC…