From student to master: Australia's former pros turn to coaching

Some of Australia’s top former players are beginning their transition from life on the pro tennis tour to developing the next generation of players. 

Casey Dellacqua, Jelena Dokic, Sally Peers, and Lauren Breadmore will join current players Storm Sanders and Belinda Woolcock on Tennis Australia’s internationally recognised Junior Development Coaching course at Melbourne Park.

The course will be facilitated by Tennis Australia Coach Education specialist Belinda Colaneri who will teach the group how to develop the skills of junior players with a major focus on creating positive learning environments and using contemporary coaching practices to deliver sessions to build the tactical and technical skills of players.

Andrea Buckeridge, Tennis Australia’s Manager of Education and Professional Learning, said, "These former players have fantastic experience.

"They have insights into life on the tour and how to develop as a player. This course will help them use their existing knowledge to guide young players both on and off the court.

“Australia was one of the first tennis nations to achieve the ITF gold level recognition for coach education and we are continuing to develop new strategies to ensure world’s best practice in our coaching community."

Dokic, Dellacqua and the other former Australian pros will join the current coaching team at Melbourne Park this week.