Michael Russell, coach of Taylor Fritz, named 2024 ATP Coach of the Year
Michael Russell was named the ATP's Coach of the Year on Wednesday after winning a vote by his fellow coaches for the 2024 ATP Awards honor.
The American helped 27-year-old Taylor Fritz break new ground this season, guiding his compatriot to his maiden Grand Slam final at the US Open and the title match at the ATP Finals. Fritz excelled at the majors, reaching the quarterfinals at the Australian Open and Wimbledon either side of a fourth-round Roland Garros run. His 17 major wins more than doubled his previous high for Grand Slam victories in a year.
Fritz won titles in Delray Beach and Eastbourne in 2024, with seven of his eight career trophies coming alongside Russell in the past three years. After Fritz finished the season at a career-high ATP ranking of world No. 4, his coach now ends the year with a marquee honor of his own.
“It's amazing. I'm honored,” Russell said, as quoted on ATPTour.com. “I'm humbled to be selected by my fellow stellar ATP coaches. It means a lot. We all work so hard under the radar. We spend a lot of hours working for the players to be in the best position possible and to maximize their talent. So it's nice to really be recognized. And I'm very humbled and honored.”
A former Top 60 player himself, Russell began coaching with USTA Player Development shortly after his playing career. After working with Fritz during short training blocks over several years, he became the American's full-time coach in late 2021.
Russell describes his coaching style as a mix of holistic, democratic, and autocratic: “You have to have open communication and be empathetic while still creating structure and accountability,“ he said. “Taylor and I have a very good synergistic relationship.“
Michael Russell and Taylor Fritz. Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images.
Early in their partnership, Fritz won the 2022 Indian Wells title and made his Top 10 debut. After a brief stint in the Top 5 in early 2023, Fritz has firmly established himself in that elite group behind his 53-23 record this season.
“That's very satisfying,” Russell said. “We always have process goals, and those are just to keep improving everything and getting stronger and more explosive on the court, off the court, working on your game. But to have the results goals is really fulfilling. To have those stellar results and finish the year in the Top 5—the first American year-end No. 4 since James Blake—it's great company to be in and hopefully we keep pushing the envelope and looking to strive even higher, for 2025 and beyond.”
Russell has also focused on helping Fritz become more comfortable finishing points at the net as well and more confident in the pressure moments of big matches. The results have been clear, with the American's success this season on the game's grandest stages—including a gutsy five-set win against Frances Tiafoe in the US Open semis, when Fritz battled back from behind.
“I think the main thing is, just by being in those experiences, the player has more confidence, that self-doubt isn't there,“ Russell explained. “It's the assurance that they belong and knowing how to keep calm and poised and confident in those situations. My job, it's to make sure that the player feels that way and he's prepared strategically and tactically and physically going into those matches.”
Brad Stine, coach of Tommy Paul, was also among the five nominees for the ATP's Coach of the Year award. Stine guided Paul to three titles this season (Dallas, Queen's Club, Stockholm) and a career-high ATP ranking of world No. 12.
Read more: Michael Russell discusses his coaching craft in exclusive USTA.com Q&A
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