By Martyn Herman
LONDON (Reuters) – More female coaches are needed on the WTA and ATP Tours says Spain’s former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez, who on Thursday was named as tournament director for this year’s Billie Jean Cup in Seville.
The disparity between male and female coaches in professional tennis is huge with only 13 of the top 200 women players coached by a woman, according to the WTA.
Martinez, who beat Martina Navratilova in the 1994 Wimbledon final, has bucked the trend since retiring.
She was part of compatriot Garbine Muguruza’s coaching team when the Spaniard won the 2017 Wimbledon title, worked as coach to Czech Karolina Pliskova and even captained Spain’s Davis Cup team from 2015 to 2017.
Martinez is the exception to the rule, although another former Wimbledon champion Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo did have a stint as coach to three-time Grand Slam champion Andy Murray.
“I think why not have a women coaching a man, I mean I think it’s very possible,” the 51-year-old Martinez told Reuters at her unveiling as Billie Jean King Cup tournament director close to the All England Club on Thursday.
“We’ve seen it with Amelie coaching Andy. I think this question is for the men out there. I think, we’re very capable. This is tennis. I’d be very happy to see more women coaches on the women’s side and why not on the men’s side.”
Martinez thrived as Davis Cup captain, leading the men back to the top tier of the competition.
“I worked with the men. It was a great experience and I felt very, very comfortable being on the court with them and not only being on court but if I had to say something in the chair, giving them my advice. In the end this is tennis.
“Men’s tennis may be a little different and you might have a player that plays a different way, but in the end you know what to do for that person to compete at the highest level.”
Martinez said she was proud to be named tournament director of the Billie Jean King Cup, the international women’s team competition previously known as the Fed Cup which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year.
King, who has spent her career fighting for equality in women’s sport and turns 80 this year, added: “She is a dynamic person on and off the court. She’s just got the gift.”
(Reporting by Martyn Herman; Editing by Ken Ferris)
