class=”sc-29f61514-0 fQbOYE”>
His request to the players’ box was loud. But the outrage afterward was almost louder. Holger Rune caused a scandal at the French Open last year when he completely lost courage during the match against Casper Ruud and sent his mother Aneke, who was in sixteen, out of the stadium. “If you can’t help me, go!” shouted the then 19-year-old according to Scandinavian media.
Afterwards, the young hotspur regretted his panic and said he would try to get his “emotions under control”. But he publicly denied that he should have thrown his own mother out of the stadium. Anyway. A year later, the world looks very different again: Rune had a strong run in Wimbledon until his quarterfinal against Carlos Alcaraz – and promptly dedicated it to his mother.
After his four-set win over Grigor Dimitrov, he said: “That was one of the best performances from my player box ever. We had discussed beforehand that this is especially important at Wimbledon. You have to give everything you have. Everything for success. My mom was really charged!”
Box can “tip the scales”
Rune underlined the importance of the people who are in the players’ box game after game and regularly shown to the spectators in front of the screen – long before coaching was allowed at Wimbledon.
“The psychological influence is enormous,” says tennis expert Heinz Günthardt on Sunday. “Because the level of players at world level often differs little, self-confidence is all the more important. The important matches can be decided here. Let’s say the box pushes you to four points per sentence through its charisma – then it can tip the scales.”
This also confirms Stephan Stricker, father and manager of the 20-year-old young Swiss talent Dominic Stricker, who advanced to the second round at his premiere at Wimbledon, but got stuck there with top 10 player Frances Tiafoe. The type of support was treated as a focal point in the Stricker team: “Anyone who is nervous, upset or mourning a lost point should not let it show. That could upset Domi on the field. The requirement is clear: stay positive in every situation.” Coach Dieter Kindlmann kept yelling during the duel with Tiafoe, “Be brave, be brave!” Others in the coffin merely nodded or clenched their fists.
Federer didn’t seem to need the box
Günthardt says: “Body language is extremely important. But as a coach or coach you also have to develop a feeling for the energetic state of your player. How does he feel? How is his adrenaline level? Carlos Alcaraz was certainly too fast in the Paris semi-final against Novak Djokovic in the beginning. » This caused the 20-year-old Spaniard to get tense all over and eventually lost the match.
Alcaraz is one of those players who make eye contact with the entourage after almost every important point. «Others don’t give the impression that they always need the box. Like Roger Federer, for example, who did a lot with himself. But he always had prominent guests. » Fashion icon Anna Wintour, actor Bradley Cooper or singer Gwen Stefani had all arrived to cheer on Federer. “There is no doubt: on the one hand, this supports your status. But it can also be an extra incentive, “says Günthardt:” In other words, if there are important visitors, you better get yourself together. “
Motivator, lightning rod, trash can
Means: Not like Rune. Or Daniil Medvedev, who also kicked his coach out of the arena in 2021. Afterwards, the Russian explained the crux of being in the players’ box: “I’m yelling at the coach, but I’m angry with myself. Someone must be there.”
He must? Is this public scorn really acceptable? Günthardt, who won the Billie Jean King Cup with the Swiss women last November and formerly coached world number one Steffi Graf, says: “Everyone has to weigh that up for themselves. Sometimes you’re the motivator, sometimes the lightning rod, sometimes the dustbin – although I’d struggle with the latter.”
Günthardt says he was “lucky” in his career: “Steffi Graf may have looked angry, but otherwise she never left her bad days to me. That was my prerogative.”
Ivanisevic: «Djokovic tormented us»
Other coaches have developed such a thick skin that they can take all the verbal attacks from their players. As Djokovic coach Goran Ivanisevic revealed after his protégé won the French Open final in early June: “He’s not an easy guy, especially when things don’t go his way. He always keeps you stressed. He tormented us and pulled our nails.” There’s a lot more to tell, but he couldn’t go out with that, he said with a laugh, “But we’re still alive. And I’m very proud of him.”
Speaking of Djokovic: Unforgettable are the mysterious scenes in Paris last November, when his supervisors mixed a substance in the stands, carefully taking care that the substance in the bottle could not be filmed. Things like that happen in the box too.
Stan Wawrinka finds extra support when girlfriend Sara Hannoun or his family are in the coffin. And Belinda Bencic is always looking – in Slovak – for conversation with coach Matej Liptak and friend and fitness trainer Martin Hromkokvic. And at Wimbledon, after a long time, she again invited father Ivan and mother Dana. It was a good tournament after her comeback from injury. Carried by the family box, she narrowly missed the round of 16 against world number one Iga Swiatek.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
