In the ever-evolving world of tennis coaching, the spotlight has shifted from the players to the mentors, and Michel Joyce, a seasoned coach, has recently shed light on some of the strategies he employed to keep his star pupil, Maria Sharapova, focused. With the likes of former tennis legends such as Stefan Edberg, Ivan Lendl, Boris Becker, and Andre Agassi stepping into the coaching arena, the role of a tennis coach has gained immense prominence in the last decade.
Joyce believes that while many individuals can analyze a player’s strengths and weaknesses, the true challenge lies in effectively translating that analysis into tangible improvements. “There are hundreds… thousands of people out there who can analyze a player and know what they should be doing… or shouldn’t be doing,” Joyce tells the Herald On Sunday. “But not many who actually know how to do it. It’s simple… but complex.”
To illustrate this point, Joyce recalls an encounter with legendary NBA basketball coach Phil Jackson. Over a poker game in Melbourne with Andy Roddick, James Blake, and others, someone asked Jackson why he had been so successful. Jackson responded, “There’s about 10 million people around the world who can coach basketball… it’s not very hard, the technical stuff. I think my talent is being able to take 12 multi-millionaires and have them believe in a system, execute it, and make sure they all get along.”
The parallel with tennis coaching is striking. It’s one thing to observe a match and offer advice, but quite another to instill belief in a player, guide them to execute changes under pressure, and foster a harmonious team dynamic.
Michel Joyce’s claim to fame came during his seven-year coaching stint with Maria Sharapova, during which she reached the world No. 1 ranking and secured three Grand Slam titles. Joyce briefly worked with Victoria Azarenka, coached Britain’s Johanna Konta for a year, and last season, he undertook the role of guiding Eugenie Bouchard in her comeback, resulting in notable successes, including a final appearance in Luxembourg and a quarter-final run at the ASB Classic.
Joyce’s own journey from a former top junior player to a career-high ATP ranking of No. 61 was marked by fierce competition against tennis greats like Andre Agassi, Pete Sampras, and Lleyton Hewitt. His transition to coaching was expedited by a wrist injury, but it has been his acute understanding of the mental aspect of the game that has made him particularly effective in his role.
He emphasizes that at the highest level, mental fortitude constitutes approximately 80% of the sport, especially in the women’s game, which often demands more psychologically than the power-centric men’s game. “It can be tougher, because generally they don’t have the same weapons,” explains Joyce. “The mental side of the women’s game is really big because generally, under pressure, you won’t be able to hit three aces to get out of it, like many men.”
Thus, strong communication skills are imperative for a tennis coach at this level, ensuring that players not only receive technical guidance but also mental and emotional support to thrive in the demanding world of professional tennis.