Verdasco Hires Enqvist As Coach

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 25th February 2014

BNP Paribas 2013 Masters Tennis Tournament

Verdasco Hires Enqvist As Coach

epa03929049 Fernando Verdasco of Spain returns the ball to Richard Gasquet of France during their second round match at the BNP Paribas 2013 Masters tennis tournament in Paris, France, 29 October 2013. EPA/IAN LANGSDON |

The modern trend in top-flight tennis is most certainly to employ big name Swedish coaches. Stanislas Wawrinka did it with Magnus Norman and ended up winning the Australian Open. Roger Federer has done it with Stefan Edberg, admittedly more on a part time basis. And now Fernando Verdasco, desperate to jump charge his singles career, has turned to Thomas Enqvist.

Verdasco, who turned 30 last November, currently stands as world no.32 after slipping outside the leading 50 last year and hasn’t figured in the top ten for almost three years.

Enqvist served as Sweden’s Davis Cup captain October 2009 until the end of 2012, stepping down after a 5-0 defeat in the World Group play-off against Belgium in Brussels, to be replaced by Frederick Rosengren. Since then he has been occupied commentating on television and playing on the ATP Champions Tour.

So the new alliance would appear mutually beneficial, and 39 year-old Enqvist said: “It will be really fun to work at the highest level.

“Fernando has great potential and can play with tremendous pressure in the battles. He is a rounded player and has good results on all surfaces.”

Enqvist revealed he has turned down several previous offers coach players on the ATP World Tour and the current arrangement with Verdasco is a trial period. “We will work together a certain number of weeks, but the exact number is not yet decided,” he said. “We start in the next few weeks and will make an evaluation after the French Open.”

Verdasco has been hampered by injuries for much of the last couple of years but recently has flourished more as a doubles player, winning last year’s Barclays ATP World Tour Finals title in London with fellow Spaniard David Marrero.

Enqvist admitted to being very impressed with Verdasco’s ability in practice sessions. “He has a ball striking ability that few others possess,” said the Swede . “Only Robin Soderling, Tomas Berdych and a few of which have such speed on the ball that they can break through players like Nadal.”

As a player, Enqvist won 19 titles ATP World Tour singles and lost out in the final of the 1999 Australian Open to Yevgeny Kafelnikov.

Topics: 10sballs, Atp World Tour, Australian Open, David Marrero, Fernando Verdasco, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Sports, Stanislas Wawrinka, Stefan Edberg, Tennis, Tennis News, Thomas Enqvist, Yevgeny Kafelnikov

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10sBalls_com says:

February 25, 2014 at 7:29 am

Verdasco Hires Enqvist As Coach – http://t.co/pwZh5a4qCV @FerVerdasco #Enqvist #Coach #Tennis #News
markalannixon says:

February 25, 2014 at 7:29 am

RT @10sBalls_com: Verdasco Hires Enqvist As Coach – http://t.co/pwZh5a4qCV @FerVerdasco #Enqvist #Coach #Tennis #News