Boris Becker: New coaching trend a healthy epidemic for tennis

The Australian Open starts on Monday and it feels like the good old days in the changing rooms and the practice courts.

I feel I never left this world of gyms, changing rooms, pre-event draws and all that goes with being on the tennis circuit. And it certainly helps to have old faces around like Stefan Edberg, who is with Roger Federer as coach, and Ivan Lendl, who has been with Andy Murray for some time now.

There are also Goran Ivanisevic and Sergei Bruegera doing duty as coaches, so a lot of the old-timers are in the thick of things.

This is definitely a healthy epidemic for tennis where former champions are grooming the current ones for the future.

It has not quite reached the women’s side just yet, but I suspect it’s only a matter of time.

It was wonderful to meet world number two Victoria Azarenka during the draw and she looked as composed and chilled as a defending champion should be.

I can see that she really enjoys Melbourne and looking at her I could sense an air of quiet confidence.

The omnipresent player on the women’s circuit is Serena Williams. and she will be one to beat if she produces her ‘A game’ in the tournament.

There is no doubting her form at the moment, but I do feel that the complete supremacy that she showed last year must be challenged by the younger lot in 2014.

The first tournament will show if they have the ammo to shake Serena off her pedestal.

The player I am really looking at with some interest is Maria Sharapova. The spate of injuries has not help her cause these last two years, but I still feel she is the one player who can, on her day, challenge Serena.

Maria has the return of serve to take on the big-serving American. However, as always, fitness is the big enemy for Maria. If she is fit, she certainly is the dark horse of the women’s draw.

This Australian Open is going to be a special one thanks to it being my first one as a coach.

I will not say much about Novak and will keep my cards close to my chest.

All I can say is that the defending champion is hungry to add to the six Grand Slams he has already won.

Both he and Victoria look in really good shape and more importantly, are mentally relaxed. I would like to just say: Never underestimate the defending champions!

— Gameplan