Coach, physio ...manicurist? Elite tennis is now 'a travelling circus'

The rise of huge entourages for top players means even Wimbledon is struggling to make space for everyone

- Tumaini Carayol

As she took her first timid steps as a professional tennis player 21 years ago, one of the most important early decisions Victoria Azarenka made was to invest in her own fitness coach. Having enjoyed an outstanding junior career, Azarenka already knew she wanted to be a top tennis player for as long as she could and that beginning to build a formidable team around her was a priority in order to achieve it. Back then, though, not everyone did.

"I think when I started, when I was a young player, I was one of the few players who travelled with a fitness coach," says Azarenka, smiling. "And now it's fitness coach, physio, psychologist, videographer, manicurist and everything... It's sometimes exaggerated but tennis has become more professional."

Over the years, professional tennis has changed in many ways and one of the most notable transformations is the growth of the player entourages. While top players used to travel with only a coach, if anyone, it is now standard to have personal fitness trainers and physios as they try to eke out as much of their talent as possible.

As with many trends in recent years, Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams set the standard with their large entourages and their influence is seen in players such as Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner. "It's good to find the team that works for you," says Taylor Fritz. "Pretty early on, I invested in a full-time physio. That's huge because taking care of the body is the most important thing. As soon as you're top 100 and I feel like you have the money to afford it, it's worth it for sure. It pays itself back."