From Conchita Martínez to Agnieszka Radwanska: The former stars shining as coaches on the WTA

Although coaches in the tennis world have been predominantly male, several players have opted for a female coach, with various former players rejoining the Tour in this new role. The partnership between Mirra Andreeva and Conchita Martínez has perhaps been the most successful in recent years, though not the only one on the WTA Tour.

The Spanish former Wimbledon champion began working with the young Andreeva in April 2024, when the Russian was only 16 years old and establishing herself as a name to watch after a great debut season in 2023. She quickly reached the semi-finals at Roland Garros, in addition to her first title at the Iasi Open. A year later, she achieved a breakthrough into the Top 5 and won two consecutive WTA 1000 titles, with Conchita being a key factor in the teenager's early success.

“She always gives me a lot of great energy, we always have a nice atmosphere, we always laugh. This helps me a lot…It helps me kind of release some tension. So, I would say a lot of positivity,” Andreeva commented during her stellar campaign at Roland Garros 2024.

Another teenager who opted for a female coach was 19-year-old Victoria Mboko, currently world No. 81 and champion of her first WTA 1000 a few months ago at the Canadian Open. She has former world No. 3 Nathalie Tauziat as her head coach, with the support of Noëlle van Lottum, another former tennis player who built much of her career in the 90s, reaching a best ranking of world No. 57 shortly after her only title in Wellington 1992.

Female coaches remain a minority on the Tour, but there are several exceptions at the top level. Former world No. 2 Agnieszka Radwanska has been working for two years with her compatriot Magda Linette—a particular association considering they have a difference of only three years in age. Linette opted for her former Fed Cup teammate to add to her work at a mature stage of her career, and Radwańska accompanied her during her campaign at the 2024 Australian Open, where Linette reached the Grand Slam semi-finals for the first time in her career.

"I have always admired the way Agnieszka saw the game when she played, her ability to read opponents, stay calm under pressure, and make smart decisions in key moments,” Linette told the WTA a week ago. “I felt those were exactly the qualities I could benefit from, so bringing her in was a natural decision. I wanted someone who could guide me not only on court but also in how I approach my work and the season as a whole."

Another renowned former tennis player who was recently reintegrated into the Tour as a coach is former US Open runner-up Pam Shriver—who reached a best ranking of world No. 3 in the mid-80s. They worked together for three years, with Shriver supporting the Croatian in her campaigns to the Wimbledon 2024 semi-finals and her silver medal in Tokyo the same year.

“One of the greatest experiences I have had in my 50+ years in tennis has been helping coach Donna Vekic since October 2022,” the American posted on social media shortly after. “Here in LA, it’s been a challenging year, therefore I need to lean even more into my community & my family’s wellbeing. I am stepping down from Team DV.”

Other female names continue to be part of the Tour. Australian Nicole Pratt—former world No. 35—has recently worked with Kimberly Birrell and Storm Hunter, and also worked on the Australian Billie Jean King Cup team. Another case is that of Anna Kalinskaya, who has been working for several years with Argentine Patricia Tarabini, another experienced coach who reached a best ranking of world No. 29 in singles and No. 12 in doubles—where she won 15 titles and the bronze medal at Athens 2004.