16 Tennis Stars Who Were Totally Uncoachable

Some players thrive under the guidance of a coach. Others? Well, they toss that advice in the trash like a broken racquet.

Tennis is a mental game, and some stars just aren’t wired to be told what to do—even by legends. Whether it was clashing with coaches, going rogue mid-match, or thinking they knew better, these 16 players made it clear: they were going to do things their way.

16. Ernests Gulbis

Ernests Gulbis
Eric Bolte / Imagn Images

Gulbis had all the talent in the world and none of the patience for coaching. He bounced between mentors like he changed shirts, always insisting he knew what was best.

15. Jelena Ostapenko

Jelena Ostapenko
Mike Frey / Imagn Images

Ostapenko plays with fire and listens to no one but herself. Coaches came and went, but her game has always been a one-woman show.

14. Nick Kyrgios

Nick Kyrgios
Geoff Burke / Imagn Images

Kyrgios has famously gone without a coach for most of his career. He’s said more than once that he doesn’t need one—and watching him, you kind of believe him.

13. Anna Kournikova

Anna Kournikova
Klaus-Peter Steitz / Imagn Images

Kournikova had the charisma, but didn’t mesh well with coaching structures. Her flashy style never quite matched up with disciplined game plans.

12. Marat Safin

Jul 2, 2008; London, ENGLAND; Marat Safin (RUS) returns a shot against Feliciano Lopez (not pictured) during the quarter finals of the 2008 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn and Tennis Club. Safin defeated Lopez 3-6, 7-5, 7-6, 6-3. Mandatory Credit: Alan Grieves/GEPA via Imagn Images
GEPA/Imagn Images

Safin was raw emotion and ridiculous talent rolled into one. Coaches often found themselves trying to contain a storm that didn’t want to be contained.

11. Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka
Susan Mullane / Imagn Images

Known for her power and passion, Sabalenka hasn’t always embraced outside input. When things go wrong, she tends to look inward—or at her racquet.

10. Fabio Fognini

Fabio Fognini
Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Imagn Images

Fognini’s fiery temper made coaching him a high-risk job. He was more likely to argue with a coach than absorb their advice.

9. Naomi Osaka

May 26, 2025; Paris, FR; Naomi Osaka of Japan returns a shot during her match against Paula Badosa of Spain on day two at Roland Garros Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Osaka made headlines with coaching changes that raised eyebrows. She’s always been introspective and often prefers to chart her course.

8. Goran Ivanišević

Goran Ivanišević
Wikimedia Commons

Goran did things his way, for better or worse. His unpredictability extended off the court, where coaches often had to hang on for the ride.

7. Victoria Azarenka

Victoria Azarenka
Geoff Burke / Imagn Images

Azarenka has had a rocky relationship with coaching throughout her career. She’s not shy about speaking her mind, and that hasn’t always meshed with a coaching box.

6. Bernard Tomic

Aug 5, 2019; Montreal, Quebec, Canada; Bernard Tomic from Australia hits a shot against Roberto Bautista Agut from Spain (not pictured) during the Rogers Cup tennis tournament at Stade IGA. Mandatory Credit: Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images
Jean-Yves Ahern-Imagn Images

Tomic openly said he didn’t care about tennis at times, making coaching him a borderline impossible task. His stubbornness was his defining trait.

5. Jelena Dokic

June 20, 2011; London, UNITED KINGDOM; Jelena Dokic (AUS) returns a shot against Francesca Schiavone (ITA) on day one of the 2011 Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images
Susan Mullane-Imagn Images

Dokic’s coaching journey was a turbulent one, especially with a controlling parent in the mix. As she moved forward, trusting any coach became a serious challenge.

4. Daniil Medvedev

Daniil Medvedev
Jay Calderon / Imagn Images

Medvedev might be brilliant, but he’s also headstrong. His ability to tune out advice mid-match is practically an art form.

3. Andre Agassi

Andre Agassi
Jonah Hinebaugh / Imagn Images

Agassi had to grow into being coachable—early on, he wanted no part of it. He famously rebelled against structure before later embracing it on his terms.

Read more: 19 NFL Players Who Were Straight-Up Uncoachable

2. Serena Williams

Serena Williams
Cara Owsley / USA TODAY NETWORK

Serena could work with coaches, but she ultimately trusted herself above all. Even when being coached mid-match, she stuck to her instincts.

Read more: Ranking the 20 Most Uncoachable NBA Stars Ever

1. John McEnroe

John McEnroe
Offside Sports / Imagn Images

The king of on-court rebellion, McEnroe wasn’t listening to anyone but himself. Trying to coach him was like trying to referee a hurricane.

Read more: The 15 Most Overrated Tennis Stars of All Time

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