Re: Laura Robson: The Silver Medal Years 2012-
Been taking in the weird Saviano news all day and have only just hit upon what I think is the most interesting bit of all of it... Read between the lines here, she was trying to hire Mark Woodforde who has had no involvement with womens tennis other than fedcup coaching in 2003 as far as I can find, and doesn't seem to be doing anything at present, yet was too expensive. That tells me straight away she was going for a left-field choice, and had absolutely no intention of a major league hire. If Mark Woodforde is too expensive then surely there's no way she was even seriously considering Hogstedt or Joyce or Groeneveld, who all have much more recent proven pedigree, and would surely be much more expensive.
Now I can fully see why many think she's a bit immature in terms of wanting to take in the world chill and enjoy life with tennis not being the be-all end-all, and that may change it may not (Wozniacki shows no signs of changing soon preferring to be under the spell of lurve!), but the one thing I would never question is Robson's tennis intelligence. I've got a feeling as someone else suggested, that the most important and relevant move she's made has nothing to do with the coach or consultant, its the hiring of a bloody good fitness trainer, which went completely under the radar until someone pointed it out much later on.
What's her biggest weakness according to every commentator... movement and positioning.. One of her earliest coaches (Alan Jones) said not long ago her movement in relation to the oncoming ball is the least improved thing over the last 5 years and is holding her back. A good hitting partner and a good fitness trainer is the only thing that will really sort that out, and it is pretty much the case at the moment the only useful thing a coach can tell her is what she really struggles with, which every Sky, BT Sport, BBC and Eurosport commentator has been telling her without any charge for a couple of years now. Maybe she really struggles with it, maybe she hasn't put in enough work in the past, but a bit of a maverick she knows quite well started surrounding himself with specialists a few years back to sort out his weedy physique and stamina issues, and that didn't work out so badly...
Give it time....
If its any consolation a little bit of gossip on Cronin's twitter was very praising of Witten. Good tennis intelligence and a good hitting partner. Two things that wouldn't go amiss. And he's only just retired so he's got a full career of experience to share on winning ugly, and he's still quite fit!
See how it goes!