While the world might be obsessed with the GOATs of the game like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, etc, it is also their coaches who carry these players to their glory path. Most of these coaches have also had an illustrious career, winning some of the major competitions in the game.
Here’s a look at 5 of them, who won the most number of Grand Slams as a coach in their career:
Toni Nadal (14 Grand Slams with Rafael Nadal)
Toni Nadal, Rafael Nadal’s uncle, coached him from a very early age. For a long time, he was the most successful coach in tennis history, having won 14 major titles with his nephew.
Of those 14 titles, Nadal won those between 2004 and 2014. That includes one Australian Open (2009), 9 French Open (2005-2014), 2 Wimbledon (2008, 2010), and 2 US Open (2010, 2013). Only in the last 2 years of Toni Nadal’s tenure in 2015 and 2016 did Rafa not won a single Grand Slam title and that could have well played a role in the 22-time Grand Slam champion seeking a much-needed change in voice, ideas and approach in coaching.
Regardless, a lot of the ‘hard’ tennis that Rafael Nadal plays, could be attributed to the training style of his uncle. Toni is also responsible for putting in the discipline, dedication, and respect required to play this game, into Rafael Nadal. That is why, one would never see Nadal throw his racquet in frustration or display any sort of anger toward opponents, coaches, or match officials.
Goran Ivanisevic (12 Grand Slams with Novak Djokovic, 1 with Marin Cilic)
Goran Ivanisevic will forever be remembered as the only player to ever win a Grand Slam as a wildcard entry when he won the Wimbledon in 2001. He also has a record of breaking so many racquets in a match once, that he ran out of them and had to forfeit the match.
However, one of the lesser known feats, is that he won 13 Grand Slams as a coach. While 12 of those Grand Slams were won by Novak Djokovic, 1 was with Marin Cilic. Djokovic, the player with the most Grand Slams i.e. 24, added Ivanisevic to his coaching team in 2018.
Djokovic and Ivanisevic won 4 Australian Open (2019-2023), 2 French Opens (2021, 2023), 4 Wimbledons (2018-2022), and 2 US Open (2018, 2023). The duo recently split up on March 27, 2024, ending a 5-year long association together. Apart from that, Ivanisevic also won the 2014 US Open title with Marin Cilic, one of his most underrated achievement.
Paul Annacone (9 Grand Slams with Pete Sampras, 1 with Roger Federer)
Paul Annacone had 3 ATP titles in his singles career as a player. He achieved even greater success as Pete Sampras’ coach for a long time.
Sampras, who won 14 Grand Slams in his career, won 9 of them under Annacone’s tutelage. Paul Annacone coached Sampras from 1995 to the end of the American’s career, with a small break in between in 2001. They include one Australian Open title (1997), 5 Wimbledon titles (1995-2000) and 3 US Opens (1995-2002).
After their association was over, Paul Annacone teamed up with Roger Federer on August 28, 2010. In a short time, he tasted great success with Federer, and also won him the 2012 Wimbledon Championship title, Federer’s 7th in his career at the time.
So in total, Paul Annacone has won 10 Grand Slam titles as a coach and is currently aiming to add more with Taylor Fritz as his pupil.
Brad Gilbert (6 Grand Slams with Andre Agassi, 1 with Andy Roddick, 1 with Coco Gauff)
One of the most successful active coaches going around the tennis circuit today, Brad Gilbert has taken multiple players to their zenith in career. While US tennis legend Andre Agassi leads the roster there, Coco Gauff and Andy Roddick are the other players who tasted success under him.
Gilbert won 8 Grand Slams as a coach, spanning over 3 decades and 3 three players. He won 6 with Andre Agassi – 3 Australian Opens (1995, 2000, 2001), 1999 French Open, and 2 US Opens (1994, 1999). Gilbert also won Andy Roddick the 2003 US Open, Roddick’s only Grand Slam in his career, and most recently won the 2023 US Open with Coco Gauff.
Recently, Gilbert caught the headlines for making comments on the Saudi Arabia takeover of the tennis world, showing his support for them.
Tony Roche (8 Grand Slams with Roger Federer)
Roger Federer hired Tony Roche in 2005, and the duo immediately saw the results. Tony Roche saw tremendous success as a coach, more than he saw as a player. He previously coached tennis legend Ivan Lendl, who wanted to win Wimbledon with him, but sadly could not.
Patrick Rafter also played under him for 5 years from 1997-2002. But it was only during his time with Federer from 2005 to 2007, Roche helped Federer win 8 Grand Slams.
In a span of three years (2005-2007), Federer and Roche won 8 Grand Slams, an unparalleled success at the time. They won 2 Australian Open (2006, 2007), 3 Wimbledon (2005, 2006, 2007), and 3 US Open (2005, 2006, 2007).
