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Adrienne Jensen does not know Pam Shriver, the 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion, but both believe tennis needs to change its approach toward predatory coaches.
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By Matthew Futterman
The grooming of Adrienne Jensen began with an invitation to train with a top junior tennis coach at a well-regarded tennis academy in suburban Kansas City in 2009.
To Jensen, then a promising teenage player from Iowa City who had struggled to find elite training, the offer felt like the ultimate good fortune, even if accepting it meant upending her family’s life.
Early on that fall, Jensen’s gamble seemed to be paying off as she trained with the coach, Rex Haultain, and played deeper into increasingly competitive tournaments.
“I felt like he was my ticket,” Jensen, now 27 and about to begin a career as a psychiatric nurse practitioner, said in a recent interview.
Soon, though, the praise and attention turned into demands for nude pictures and secrecy, and eventually sexual assault. Haultain, a New Zealand citizen, took a plea deal in 2013 for soliciting child pornography from Jensen, who was 15. He was sent to federal prison without the need for Jensen to face him at trial. The F.B.I. said in announcing Haultain’s deal that the coach eventually molested Jensen. She detailed the abuse to prosecutors, supported the plea agreement and publicly shared extensive details of her experience in a series of interviews with The New York Times and in a 2020 federal lawsuit against the United States Tennis Association and the club that hosted Haultain’s business.
Haultain was released in 2019 and deported. Matthew Hoppock, a lawyer for Haultain, declined to comment on his behalf.
In the lawsuit, Jensen claimed the U.S.T.A. and KC Racquet Club in Merriam, Kan., did not live up to their duty to protect her from Haultain. The U.S. District Court Judge John W. Lungstrum dismissed the complaint this month on a technicality related to the statute of limitations without resolving the central issue, and Jensen and her lawyers are considering their next move.
Still, the filing of the lawsuit revealed the U.S.T.A.’s longstanding resistance to taking more direct ownership of what many people involved at every major level of tennis said was a big problem: a poorly run system of certifying coaches and educating players about inappropriate and criminal behavior.
Professional success in tennis often starts in a player’s teenage years. Unsupervised travel is common. Inappropriately close, sexual and, in some cases, abusive relationships between coaches and players have long been an accepted part of the sport. The U.S.T.A. lists 81 people involved with tennis who have been suspended or are ineligible because they have been convicted or accused of abuse. The list, which dates back many years, is widely viewed as the tip of the iceberg.
“We are not doing enough as a sport,” said Pam Shriver, the 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion and a lead commentator for the Tennis Channel at the French Open, now underway in Paris.
Shriver, 59, rocked the tennis world last month with her revelation that she had been involved in a sexual relationship with her longtime coach, Don Candy, that began when she was 17 and he was 50. Candy died in 2020. Shriver never told her mother, who died last year.
Shriver long viewed her affair with Candy as a relationship between consenting adults. But with the help of therapy, she now says her experience was a form of abuse that is far too prevalent in the sport.
“I should have, by 13, had some training,” Shriver said. “The coaches should all have to have training. There should not be meetings between coaches and young players in private settings or giving of gifts. No going out to dinner with just the coach and the player. Certain things have to be put into place.”
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Shriver’s disclosure has prompted the women’s professional tour, the WTA, to review its policies on relationships between players and members of their support staff, including coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, mental health professionals, coaches and managers. The tour will also augment its training in “safeguarding” athletes.
“It is an ever growing area of concern,” Steve Simon, the chief executive of the WTA, said. “There is a lot more to be done.”
The U.S.T.A., the national governing body for the sport, declined to comment on Jensen’s lawsuit because the recent ruling remains subject to appeal. It did not make any of its executives available to discuss its approach to coaching.
The organization, unlike some other national governing bodies, has for decades eschewed the responsibility of certifying and educating coaches, even those participating at U.S.T.A.-sanctioned events. (Coaches who work directly for the organization are required to complete safeguarding training.) The strategy has allowed it to claim it is not responsible for the behavior of most tennis coaches.
In court filings responding to Jensen’s lawsuit, the U.S.T.A. has claimed it is “wholly unrelated” to the two organizations that do certify professional tennis coaches in the United States, the United States Professional Tennis Association and the Professional Tennis Registry. However, the U.S.T.A. does accredit the organizations and mandate training requirements, such as a two-hour course on harassment and abuse and spotting warning signs of them that was added in 2021.
Nothing stops someone who has not been certified from teaching and coaching tennis. With roughly five million new players in the past two years in the United States, tennis facilities have been scrambling to find capable coaches and instructors.
“This is the most fundamental question we have as an industry,” said John Embree, the chief executive of the U.S.P.T.A. “In golf, would you ever be at a course where the pro is not certified? No. In tennis, there has been no requirement or mandate that says you have to be certified and also Safe Play trained, and that is not right.”
Lauren Tracy, the director of strategic initiatives for the U.S.T.A., said in sworn testimony during the Jensen litigation that the U.S.T.A. had no notice of sexual abuse of any minor member before 2011. She also stated that, despite news coverage of Haultain’s conviction, the U.S.T.A. had no knowledge of his crime until 2019, six years after his arrest and sentencing and two years after his deportation order.
In a sworn statement, Tracy said that in 2013, the U.S.T.A. terminated Haultain’s membership for nonpayment of dues, four years after Jensen’s ill-fated experience with him began.
Jensen grew up as the third and youngest daughter of a physician and a stay-at-home mother who loved tennis and introduced it to their children. Jensen played a variety of team sports growing up, including soccer and basketball, but nothing made her happier than the independence and responsibility that came with an individual sport like tennis and the feel of the ball hitting the sweet spot on her strings.
She also liked winning and did plenty of it, becoming one of the top players her age in the U.S.T.A.’s Missouri Valley section and earning entry into national competitions.
Haultain initially befriended Jensen’s father, Fred, telling him how impressed he was with her play and establishing a rapport. Then, at a tournament at the Plaza Tennis Center in Kansas City, Mo., in July 2009, Haultain approached Jensen’s mother to offer a spot in his academy.
“In a sense, he was grooming us, her parents,” Fred Jensen said in a recent interview. “He became my buddy, then moved on to my wife.”
The training and travel to tournaments would cost tens of thousands of dollars a year. In addition, Jensen and her mother would have to rent an apartment in the area and live there during the week. Jensen, a top student who loved school and had a close-knit group of friends, would have to switch to online schooling so she could begin her five to six hours of daily training early in the afternoons.
It was a lot to take on and give up, but Jensen craved the chance to become a top player.
Her parents asked the parents of other children who played for Haultain what he was like. Everyone raved and told them how supportive, talented and trustworthy he was, Fred Jensen said. They told the Jensens they regularly let their children travel alone to tournaments with him. Hearing that, the Jensens agreed to let their daughter pursue her dream.
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In August 2009, Jensen and her mother moved to Overland Park, Kan. She was on the court every day with top players and received so much private attention from Haultain that other parents began to comment on it to her and her mother, she said.
Haultain asked for Jensen’s phone number so he could communicate with her directly and give her tips and encouragement when they were not on the court, she said. The night before a match at a tournament in Palm Springs, Calif., in 2009, a note from Haultain flashed on her phone telling her she would dismantle her opponent and enjoy doing it.
Then the gifts started. Often they were trinkets from New Zealand. Then Haultain began whispering to Jensen on the side of the court that she was arousing him sexually. He followed his comments with demands for secrecy. If she told anyone about what he was saying, she might blow this singular chance for tennis success, he told her. He showed her pictures of his penis on his phone. He demanded that she send him nude pictures and allow their relationship to become physical.
When she resisted his advances, he lashed out at her for her lack of commitment to him and to tennis.
“I told him I just wanted him to be my tennis coach,” Jensen said. “I pleaded with him.”
He banished her to outer courts at the academy and ignored her, only to lure her back with praise and the promise of what she could achieve if only she would do as he said and never tell. Jensen kept all of this secret, she said, fearing the shame and guilt she would feel if she told her mother what was happening and the whole life she had built for her came crashing down.
She traveled to San Diego with her family for Christmas in 2010 and sat by the pool in silence, she said, her eyes locked on her phone as Haultain bombarded her all day with text messages filled with threats and demands.
She could sense what was going to happen when she left her family to travel to Arizona alone to meet him at the U.S.T.A. National Winter Championships.
Standing in her pajamas in front of the door of her hotel room, she was terrified as Haultain entered. She had been watching her favorite movie, “The Sound of Music.” She knew what he was going to do and felt powerless to stop it. Then, she detailed to prosecutors and in her lawsuit, he penetrated her with his hands.
The next day, she could barely get a ball over the net during the tournament. He berated her and told her to move on from what had happened.
She returned to San Diego broken. Days later, back in Kansas City, unable to sleep or eat or do schoolwork and dreading an upcoming trip with Haultain to a tournament in Portugal, Jensen answered yes when her oldest sister asked if her coach had abused her. Her sister then told her parents.
Jensen immediately stopped training with Haultain. Her parents encouraged her to keep playing, to not let Haultain steal her love for the game. They were not aware of the full extent of the abuse because they had not pressed her for details. So they tried to minimize the trauma by dealing with it privately, she said.
Fred Jensen now realizes what a terrible mistake that was, for his daughter and for the safety of other children. His instinct told him to protect his daughter’s anonymity, to try to, in his words, “coach her through it,” “engineer her return to normalcy” and save her from the blame and victimization that so many survivors of sexual assault experience. That was the exact opposite of what his daughter needed, which was disclosure, the involvement of the police and, ultimately, justice.
“Predators count on that you are not going to pursue something like this,” he said.
In the summer of 2010, however, Jensen told a teacher what Haultain had done to her. The teacher was obligated to inform the police, and he did.
Jensen understands now that Haultain essentially brainwashed her, that he was very good at getting what he wanted, as so many predators are.
“He used my qualities as a player, and as a person, against me,” she wrote in a recent email. She added: “I was an incredibly obedient, naïve, perfectionist, hard-driving and respectful young girl, and was so motivated to do well, especially given all that was on the line.”
She would play again, including in college, which was always one of her dreams, but she wonders if some kind of intervention might have made things different. Could Haultain have done this to her if she had been taught about boundaries or if another coach had been trained to spot the warning signs?
The one thing she knows is that no one ever tried.
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FAQs
Who is the tennis coach accused of abuse? ›
SACRAMENTO COUNTY, Calif. — A 26-year-old tennis coach was arrested Monday on accusations that he engaged in lewd and lascivious acts with a child. According to a news release, 26-year-old Kasparas Zemaitelis was working as a private tennis coach for 'numerous minors' in the Sacramento area from 2019 to the present.
What happens when you get a coaching violation in tennis? ›If there is any form of communication between the coach and player, audible or visual, when there are laws against coaching during matches, it will be considered a violation. If The umpire witnesses a violation, they will first give a warning. If a coaching violation occurs again, the player will lose a point.
What female tennis player was abused by her coach? ›Hall of Fame tennis player Pam Shriver says she was in 'inappropriate, damaging' relationship with her coach when she was 17.
What is the penalty for coaching in tennis? ›A point penalty is also announced by the umpire. After the offending player has been docked a point for a coaching violation, the next level is a game penalty. Any player caught receiving coaching for the third time will lose an entire game.
How do tennis players pay their coaches? ›Top tennis coaches usually receive about 10% of their player's prize money income. An instructor, on the other hand, might receive less than $20 per hour, rising to $30 per hour or more for experienced coaches.
What is coach athlete abuse? ›Usually, this involves a coach telling an athlete or making him or her feel that he or she is worthless, despised, inadequate, or valued only as a result of his or her athletic performance.
What to do if you have a toxic coach? ›- Ask yourself if there is any truth in what they say. ...
- Fight negativity with positivity. ...
- Attend practices and games. ...
- Help your child focus on the right things. ...
- Confront carefully. ...
- Move on or endure.
Let them know that you've got some concerns you'd like to discuss with them, face to face. You might even let them know what those concerns are about. Never confront in an email! Making an appointment prepares the coach for the conversation and it also allows you time to think through what you want to say.
Why can't tennis coaches talk to their players? ›The ATP Rulebook states that “Players shall not receive coaching during a tournament match. Communications of any kind, audible or visible, between a player and a coach may be construed as coaching.” What that means is that coaches can neither come to the court nor give instructions from the stands.
Why has Raducanu changed her coach? ›Emma Raducanu's former coach has revealed he split with the former US Open champion because he feared he would not be given enough time to work with her. Russian Dmitry Tursunov said: “We didn't agree on the terms and there were some red flags that just couldn't be ignored.” The British No.
Has Emma Raducanu found a coach? ›
Emma Raducanu has begun working with a new coach as she prepares for the 2023 season, joining forces with the former German player Sebastian Sachs, according to reports.
Who was the tennis player that always got mad? ›McEnroe retired from the professional tour at the end of 1992. He ended his singles career ranked world No. 20. He played in one tournament in 1994 as a wildcard at the Rotterdam Open, losing in the first round. This was his last singles match on the ATP Tour.
How much money has Serena Williams made playing tennis? ›How Much Does Serena Williams Get Paid From Tennis? Williams entered her first professional tennis tournament when she was 14 in 1995 and has been playing the sport professionally ever since. Through prize money from tournaments won, Williams has earned more than $94 million as of the end of 2021.
What is the new tennis coaching rule? ›The Association of Tennis Professionals' (ATP) experimental rule now permits verbal coaching in the form of short phrases — not conversations — from the player's box and the use of signaling when the player is on the other end of the court.
What coaches should not do? ›- Pointing out technical or strategic mistakes of students by telling them what they did wrong. ...
- Getting emotional or confrontational with students. ...
- Over coaching. ...
- Getting stuck on a certain dogmatic system of coaching. ...
- Teaching everyone the same way.
There are, however, some basic expenses that every player has, like flights, food, and hotels. Then there is the salary for coaches, physiotherapists, hitting partners, and in some cases, managers. Most of the time, the player also must pay for the flights and accommodation of his team.
Do tennis players get paid if they don't win? ›Before a tennis tournament starts, the organization establishes the prize money breakdown (how much the champion, runner-up, semi-finalists, etc., will make). Players are compensated according to what round they lose.
How much does the ball boy make in tennis? ›Given their young age, the ball kids are not paid a traditional wage but given expenses or a stipend which is fixed at £200 GBP ($241 USD) per week.
How can you tell if a coach is abusive? ›Intimidation. If a coach intimidates your child (or other players) on a regular basis, this is a sign of abuse. 1 Intimidating behavior may include threatening kids with severe consequences as a way to maintain power and control over them.
How do you know if a coach is mentally abusive? ›Verbal behaviors include yelling, belittling, name-calling, degrading comments, humiliation, scapegoating, rejecting, isolating, and threatening. “… this coach yelled at me in front of my team and everyone in the bleachers during a time-out at a game.
How do I report an abusive coach? ›
Go to the school board meetings with a list of complaints about the abusive coaches. Send a complaint to the State Board of Education. Get a story about the abusive coaches into the local newspaper.
What is considered emotional abuse from a coach? ›Other researchers have added such behaviors as belittling, humiliating, shouting, scapegoating, rejecting, isolating, threatening, or ignoring as forms of emotional abuse.
What causes a coach to get fired? ›Termination for cause is an easier decision in many ways than firing a coach for other reasons because the decision is clear. The coach has crossed a well-defined line—he or she has broken rules, committed a felony, violated a contract, or committed some other such action.
What are the negligent actions by coaches? ›Time Out 3.2 on page 34 describes seven potentially negligent actions by coaches, including failure to provide competent personnel, instruction, and proper equipment; failure to warn or supervise; failure to treat an injured athlete properly; and failure to ensure that an athlete is ready to play.
How do coaches abuse their power? ›Researchers suggest emotional abuse by coaches can include belittling, humiliating, shouting, scapegoating, rejecting, isolating, threatening and ignoring. These forms of abuse can be subtle and hidden in accepted coaching practice.
What are the three most common coaching mistakes? ›...
The Top 10 Coaching Mistakes
- Talking too much. ...
- Owning the outcome. ...
- Giving lots of advice. ...
- Winging it. ...
- Finishing without a commitment.
Many teams and leagues advocate the 24-hour rule which encourages parents to wait 24 hours after a game to confront a coach about something that happened in the game. This is to give parents time to calm down and to give the coach time to get his or her head out of the game.
Why do tennis players cover their mouths when talking? ›Doubles tennis players cover their mouths in order to keep their opponents from figuring out their strategy. Even though the opponents are on the other side of the court, they could possibly read lips – or a coach nearby could eavesdrop on the strategy and alert his or her player.
What are 3 things you Cannot do in tennis? ›Players/teams cannot touch the net or posts or cross onto the opponent's side. Players/teams cannot carry the ball or catch it with the racquet. Players cannot hit the ball twice. Players must wait until the ball passes the net before they can return it.
What sports do not allow coaching? ›Tennis is a sport of individuals, and one of its most prized features is the rule that prohibits coaching during Grand Slam and ATP Tour matches.
Why can't Raducanu keep a coach? ›
Dmitry Tursunov said he decided not to continue coaching Emma Raducanu at the end of a trial period with the 2021 US Open champion because of "red flags" he could not ignore. Since winning the US Open title, Raducanu has fallen to 76th in the WTA rankings.
Why can t Raducanu keep a coach? ›According to the Express, the decision reflects a stance occupied by Raducanu and her father Ian that working with an array of coaches will be more beneficial than sticking with one for an extended period of time.
What has Andy Murray said about Emma Raducanu? ›Raducanu has gone through a number of coaches after splitting with Andrew Richardson and arrived at the French Open without a coach, electing instead to travel to Paris with only a hitting partner. But in an impassioned plea to the media, Murray urged onlookers to "just let her [Raducanu] be who she is."
What happened to Raducanu's coach? ›Dmitry Tursunov said he decided not to continue coaching Emma Raducanu at the end of a trial period with the 2021 US Open champion because of "red flags" he could not ignore.
Does Leylah Fernandez have a new coach? ›The 20-year-old, who reached the final of the 2021 US Open, has not officially been coached by anyone except her father, Jorge, until this point in her career. Alonso, who is from Spain, will keep coaching Arantxa Rus in addition to Fernandez. Fernandez will head into the 2023 season ranked No.
How many coaches does Emma Raducanu have? ›Emma Raducanu is on her fifth coach in a year and a half after appointing Sebastian Sachs as her interim coach until the end of the season.
Which tennis players don t like each other? ›It's no secret that Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic don't like each other and they don't see eye to eye. The two tennis superstars have been engaged in a well-publicized rivalry for years, and it doesn't seem like it's going to end anytime soon.
What famous tennis player had a bad temper? ›John McEnroe Wimbledon 1981
During his third round match at the 1981 Wimbledon championships, John McEnroe produced arguably the most famous angry outburst in sporting history. This moment transcended tennis and has become one of the most iconic sporting catchphrases ever.
Roger Federer
We had absolutely no doubt in our mind that we were watching the greatest tennis player of all time. At the tennisbros.com we love Roger Federer, and he's held onto the number one spot in this list for a very long time.
The American tennis star not only signed the deal as a tennis player but joined as a global star. Williams signed a deal worth $60 million with the brand.
Is Serena Williams married to a billionaire? ›
...
| Alexis Ohanian | |
|---|---|
| Occupations | Entrepreneur venture capitalist investor |
| Notable work | Reddit Initialized Capital 776 |
| Spouse | Serena Williams ( m. 2017) |
| Children | 1 |
Who is richer, Venus or Serena? While both sisters have had highly profitable careers that transcend the tennis court, Serena's net worth is $165 million higher than her older sister Venus, who has a net worth of $95 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.
How do you break up with a tennis coach? ›Tell your coach why you no longer feel the need for his or her service and thank them for their time and interest in you. If you want to really make them feel good, again – tell them what you learned from them and how it helped you handle a situation. And if you like them, offer a testimonial.
How do you know if a tennis coach is good? ›- Great Listeners. ...
- Excellent Motivators. ...
- They not only communicate, but they also connect. ...
- Substantial teachers. ...
- Care for their students. ...
- Great coaches are not afraid of change. ...
- Never stop learning. ...
- Great coaches are always punctual.
Top tennis coaches usually receive about 10% of their player's prize money income. An instructor, on the other hand, might receive less than $20 per hour, rising to $30 per hour or more for experienced coaches.
How do you know if your coach is toxic? ›- They single out kids to criticize. ...
- They place winning above everything. ...
- They ignore safety and health issues. ...
- The coach allows kids to bad-mouth each other. ...
- They play favorites. ...
- They ask kids to deceive their parents. ...
- They are disrespectful. ...
- They are manipulative.
- Lacks time.
- Lacks income.
- Struggles to sell.
- Cannot articulate their value.
- Sells time for money.
- Isn't aware of how amazing they really are.
- Balances doing, selling, marketing, networking etc is a struggle.
- Wants to help more people than they currently do.
- Ask yourself if there is any truth in what they say. ...
- Fight negativity with positivity. ...
- Attend practices and games. ...
- Help your child focus on the right things. ...
- Confront carefully. ...
- Move on or endure.
Woodward waived his anonymity to speak about the abuse he was subjected to as a child by Bennell, who abused him between the ages of 11 and 15. Woodward's public testimony – first in the Guardian, then on the BBC Victoria Derbyshire programme – prompted hundreds of others to come forward.
How long was Barry Bennell sentenced for? ›Judge Patrick Thompson said the sentence would be served consecutively to his current prison term, meaning a total sentence of 34 years in custody, with an additional two years on licence. He committed the offences that have led to the jail term being extended, between 1979 and 1988.
Where is Gabriela Sabatini now? ›
Sabatini resides in Buenos Aires, Boca Raton (Florida) and Pfäffikon in Switzerland.
Where is Roger Rasheed now? ›In particular, Rasheed was known for his court-side commentary and special analysis. He now works for the broadcaster Nine Network whilst working for the Tennis Australia world feed in an expert commentary role.
How is Andy Woodward doing now? ›He is currently serving a 34-year jail term for sexual offences committed against 22 boys, although more than 100 victims are believed to have made allegations of sexual abuse by the paedophile. In his 2019 biography, Position of Trust: A football dream betrayed, Woodward details how Bennell groomed him and his family.
How old is Andy Woodward now? › What happened with Barry Bennell? ›Now a convicted paedophile, his predatory behaviour was highlighted to the wider British public in early 1997 by a Channel 4 Dispatches documentary called Soccer's Foul Play. Then, in 1998, at Chester Crown Court, Bennell was sentenced to nine years in jail after admitting to 23 offences dating back to the 1970s.
Was Barry Bennell married? ›In June 2019, shortly before publication of Andy Woodward's biography, The Guardian reported that Barry Bennell's cousin, Ronald Bennell, had been jailed in 1971 for the rape and murder of Woodward's aunt, Lynda Stewart, and that Barry Bennell had married Woodward's older sister, also named Lynda, in 1991.
How old is Barry Bennell? › What religion is Sabatini? ›Lawrence Sabatini, CS (born May 15, 1930) is an American retired bishop of the Catholic Church.
What accomplishments has Gabriela Sabatini had in her life? ›Sabatini and Graf collaborated to reach four major doubles finals (the 1986, 1987, and 1989 French Open) and won the 1988 Wimbledon Ladies Doubles championship with a hard-fought 6-3, 1-6, 12-10 victory over the Russian duo of Larisa Savchenko and Natasha Zvereva. In her career, Sabatini won 14 doubles titles.
What happens to Jennifer Capriati? ›In 2010, she accidentally overdosed on a drug but recovered in a hospital in Florida. Her family did not disclose the name of the drug. Capriati was charged with stalking her former boyfriend Ivan Brennan in 2014.
How old is Roger Rasheed? ›
Is Rasheed Wallace still coaching? ›Via Lakers Daily: “Former NBA star Rasheed Wallace reportedly will no longer join the Los Angeles Lakers coaching staff for the 2022-23 season. “'After further conversations, former NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace will no longer join new Lakers coach Darvin Ham's staff, sources said,' The Athletic's Shams Charania wrote.
Who is sinner coach? ›His team also consisted of physiotherapist Claudio Zimaglia and fitness coach Dalibor Sirola. In February of 2022, he decided to stop his long collaboration with Piatti and his team and began to train with Simone Vagnozzi, ex-coach of Marco Cecchinato. In July 2022, coach Darren Cahill officially joined Sinner's team.