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EXCLUSIVE:
WILL ANNA REPLACE MOM AS COACH?
Kournikova
calls Solomon to consult on failing game
By
Sandra Harwitt
tennisreporters.net
Fred
Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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FROM
THE FAMILY CIRCLE CUP – Is Anna Kournikova, who has been
taking most of her coaching advice throughout her career from
her mother, Alla, thinking about bringing an established coach
on board?
There’s
no concrete decision made on that front, but the Russian with
no titles but the highest profile in the game, had world-class
coach Harold Solomon taking a look-see at her game during the
Family Circle Cup in Charleston, S. C. this week.
“I’m observing – just taking a look,” Solomon
exclusively told tennisreporters.net, walking out of the
stadium after Kournikova fell to Conchita Martinez, who celebrated
her 30th-birthday with a 7-6 (7-5) 6-1 first round win. “It’s
early in the conversation. She called me about three or four days
ago.”
The 20-year-old Kournikova seemed surprised when asked by tr.net
about Solomon being in town and tried to downplay his presence.
When asked what prompted the call to Solomon, she said, “I
didn’t really call him, but he’s just consulting with
me here this week.” When tr.net explained that Solomon had
said she made the call, Kournikova relented, saying, “Well,
of course I did, but just to help me to see what’s going
on this week.”
Unfortunately for the highly talented underachiever, there isn’t
much still going on this week for her in Charleston after the
loss to Martinez.
For the fourth tournament in a row – Indian Wells and Miami
on hardcourts and Amelia Island and Charleston on the clay –
Kournikova has been ushered to the door in the first round. Coming
off of a serious left foot stress fracture that required surgery
last April, Kournikova missed 12 tournaments and about eight months
of action in 2001. Earlier this year, she’s attained three
semifinal berths at Auckland, Tokyo and Acapulco, but despite
those showings, it is very evident she is still struggling to
find her game.
“I definitely knew that the longer you’re out, the longer
it takes to come back, and every month not playing probably takes
two to three months to come back and that’s a really long
time,” Kournikova said “I feel a little different and
it feels difficult in some matches.
“Right now I’m just looking at getting back to where
I was before the injury and getting back to winning matches and
playing some of my better tennis. I can’t get any more disappointed
or anything – I’ve lost four straight firs rounds. I
know that I’m going to continue working. I’m going to
go back and work and start practicing again, get my game ready
to go for the European tour. It’s not like I’m playing
bad, it has to come together.”
SOLOMON BELIEVE IN HARD WORK
Fred
Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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Certainly,
if Kournikova is serious about her goal to improve, Solomon could
be an ideal choice as someone able to bring out her championship
abilities. Solomon, who has worked with Jennifer Capriati and
Monica Seles in the past, emphasizes a strong work ethic with
his players.
There’s no doubt that what Kournikova needs to do is put
her superstar persona on hold and concentrate on tennis if she
wants to be a winner. But whether Kournikova and the people around
her are ready to let her live and breathe tennis as opposed to
being a starlet on the beautiful people scene, remains to be seen.
If she does go with Solomon, tr.net
would imagine that tennis being her sole priority would be a requirement.
ESPN TV announcer Mary Joe Fernandez, who spent five years of
her career under Solomon’s tutelage, believes he could be
the person to bring Kournikova’s game up a grade or two.
“It would be great and I think if anyone can help her, Harold
could,” Fernandez told tr.net
.
“He’s very positive and he doesn’t take any nonsense
from anybody. He’ll tell her how it is. I don’t think
he’s scared to speak his mind. He know a lot and he can help
her if she decides to let him.
“It’s a good sign that she’s interesting in heading
in a good direction, wanting to reach her potential as a player.”
FIVE YEARS SINCE WIMBLEDON SEMIS
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Susan
Mullane
Camerawork USA, Inc.
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Most
tennis pundits expected Kournikova to be more than just a pretty
face and take the tennis tour by storm when she first appeared
in 1996 and reached the Wimbledon semifinals in 1997. But no more
semifinal appearances have come her way at the Grand Slams, and
surprisingly, there’s been no titles whatsoever in 104 tournaments
played to date.
“It could be something interesting,” said Solomon, about
the possibility of a coaching arrangement with Kournikova. “There’s
certainly a lot of work to do and that’s whether I coach
Anna or somebody else does. She needs to work on a little bit
of everything. It’s hard to come back from an injury and
she’s not been back playing for a long time. It’s all
about regaining your confidence and working hard.”
Solomon, who lives in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., which is close by
to Kournikova’s home base of Miami, is scheduled to train
with the Russian next week in South Florida, but there is no commitment
between the two past that point. Even if Kournikova wants Solomon
on the payroll, the former world No. 5 ranked player who reached
the Roland Garros final in 1976, isn’t sure if he wants to
travel 30 to 35 weeks a year anymore.
If Kournikova needed a sampling of what she would face if she
decides to sign on Solomon, she had a perfect example of his workout
regimen on Tuesday when he took her out to the court after her
loss for a formidable training session.
“Anna needs to sit down and take a look at her game and where
she wants it to be the next five years,” Solomon said. “Then
it’s whether she wants to take the steps necessary to be
as good as player as she can be. She definitely has top 10 potential
but that takes a lot of hard work.”
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