“Grass is probably my best surface, but it hasn’t shown at Wimbledon. So it’s pleasing to get my best result here.” Australian ATP star Jordan Thompson has amazed himself this time at the All England Club. After making it to the fourth round in London, the World No.44 has earned his best run at the grass major. While he’s preparing for the next battle, one person has been behind him, assisting in his pursuit to become a top-class tennis pro – his main coach. While Thompson has been making waves this week on the court, it’s the magic of his trainer that’s really making the results happen, thanks to his vast experience and expert tips.

Who Coaches Jordan Thompson?

Jordan Thompson’s coach is Marinko Matosevic. While there’s no detail available on when he joined Thompson’s camp, his presence has definitely upped Thompson’s game. Two years ago, during Wimbledon, he managed to convince the 31-year-old to change his playing style if he wanted to have any shot to move ahead of his encounter against Novak Djokovic. When the two met in the second round, the Serbian won, but he had to work a lot for it.

Interestingly, Matosevic also coaches Thompson’s longtime friend and compatriot Christopher O’Connell. In a previous instance, O’Connell admired Matosevic as a coach (for him and Thompson) saying, “Marinko does a good job of keeping it separate. Jordan’s on court right now, so he’s solely focused on Jordan, but as soon as Jordan walks off the court, he’s focused on me,” reported The Sydney Morning Herald in July 2024.

Who is Marinko Matosevic?

Marinko Matosevic is a former Australian ATP player. Born in 1985, he originally hails from Dandenong North in the south-eastern suburbs of Melbourne, Australia. At the age of 10, his parents Branco and Ljubica introduced him to the racket sport. He turned pro in 2003 and had a considerable time spent on the tour. However, he couldn’t win an ATP title ever. His best career-ranking was No.39 that he accomplished over a decade ago, in 2013.

Matosevic did end up winning four trophies on the Challenger Tour and five on the Futures tour, respectively. After losing in Indian Wells’ qualifying round, back in February 2018, he finally decided to quit professional tennis. In late November that year, he actually made it official and then began his new journey as a coach. In 2019, he became a head coach at an academy in Bali.

Speaking of key milestones, Matosevic, before turning coach, also represented his country in Davis Cup. He appeared in the editions of 2011, 2012, and 2013. At one point, in 2013, he also became Australia’s highest-ranked player for a brief period.

Notable Matches Under Matosevic’s Guidance

Ever since Jordan Thompson brought Marinko Matosevic onboard, there has been a remarkable shift in his performance. Prior to his arrival, the 31-year-old was hanging in the mid-80s in the rankings. But last year in July, he managed to break into the top 30. Notably, he achieved his best career ranking under him in November 2024, when he earned the 26nd spot on the list. Currently, he’s sitting in the 44th position.

In last one year or so, Jordan Thompson has shown consistency in most of the events he’s played under Matosevic. For example, last year he made it to the semis in Brisbane, quarterfinal in Dallas and Delray Beach Open. Not to mention his title win at the MIFEL Tennis Open in February 2024. In the summit clash, he bested Norwegian star Casper Ruud with a score line of 6-3, 7-6.

During the HSBC Championships, in June 2024, the Australian succeeded in entering the semis before losing to Italy’s Lorenzo Musetti. Then at the Atlanta Open, in July 2024, he made it to the final and also fourth round at the US Open in September.

At the moment, Thompson is gearing up for his Wimbledon fourth round face-off against World No.5 Taylor Fritz. The American has been in top form at the ongoing event. While the H2H tally is leveled 1-1 between them, Thompson may have a slight edge. When they met the last time, it was on grass during the HSBC Championships in 2024. The Australian won that battle. This time, too, he would like to replicate a similar result at the grass major.

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