ATP Tour

How De Witt’s curiosity is helping Bergs take the next step

After three decades coaching on the ATP Tour, Jan De Witt still believes his greatest lessons are ahead of him.

The German has never owned a smartphone. He lives in a village of just 600 people, enjoys running with his dog or hiking with his wife, and describes himself as “an old-school, simple guy”. Yet as the game has evolved, De Witt has embraced the analytical side of modern tennis, recognising that data has become an essential tool in helping players unlock their next level.

It’s an approach that De Witt used to help guide 27-year-old Belgian Zizou Bergs to his first ATP Tour title in Eastbourne in June.

"I'm not naturally someone who is drawn to statistics, data and analysis. But modern professional sport is moving in that direction,” De Witt told ATPTour.com. “Even if you're more of a simple guy, if you want to be good at your job you have to understand what information is available.

"My job as head coach is to decide which parts of that information will actually help my player become better and win more matches. If you want to work at the highest level of professional sport, there's no way to avoid it. Once you accept that, you simply have to become good at it.”

For De Witt, technology has never been about simply collecting more information. The challenge has always been identifying what can genuinely help a player improve, while filtering out the details that do not translate into better performances on court.

That curiosity is what has allowed him to continue evolving after decades in the sport. Rather than viewing modern tools as a replacement for coaching instincts, De Witt sees them as another way to understand the game and provide his players with clearer solutions.

“I enjoy understanding what's happening. I'm someone who likes to understand how the world works, and tennis is an incredibly interesting sport,” De Witt said. “Even after 30 years at the professional level, there isn't a day when I don't learn something new or understand something better.

“Modern technology, data analysis, Hawk-Eye data and now artificial intelligence allow us to dig much deeper into what's happening on court. I enjoy understanding the game better and understanding what helps my player win matches and become a better player.”

That desire to keep improving has also shaped the partnership between De Witt and Bergs. When the German joined the Belgian’s team midway through last season, the role was not simply about making technical adjustments, but about understanding the person behind the player and building a relationship strong enough to handle the demands of life on Tour.

For De Witt, trust is the foundation of any successful coaching partnership. With players and coaches spending much of the year travelling together, he believes the connection away from the court is just as important as the tactical and technical work done on it. Since joining forces midway through last year, De Witt has seen improvements across several areas of Bergs’ game.

“He's improved in every area, and that's what matters to me,” De Witt said of Bergs, who reached a career-high No. 34 in the PIF ATP Rankings last month. “But it's important to say that he is the one making those improvements, not me. The player develops. My job is to provide direction, help, advice, maybe speed up the process a little, and support him when he doubts himself. But it's always the player who takes the steps.”

One of the biggest tests of Bergs’ progress came late last season, when he faced three of the biggest names in the sport within the space of a month. The Belgian played Carlos Alcaraz in Tokyo, Novak Djokovic in Shanghai and Jannik Sinner in Paris, experiences De Witt believes were crucial in showing Bergs what is required at the highest level.

“Those matches were extremely valuable for us,” De Witt said. “The biggest lesson for Zizou was that those guys are unbelievably good — they're the best in the world — but they're not untouchable. We're looking forward to playing all of them again. Next time, the goal is simple: to beat them.”

Watch Djokovic vs. Bergs Shanghai 2025 QF Highlights:

After finishing university at 26, having studied Human Resources, De Witt decided work in sport and become a coach. He has since worked with a long list of players across the ATP and WTA Tours, including former Top-10 stars Gilles Simon and Gael Monfils, which has given him a broad perspective on player development.

“After every match, I dig deeply into all the information that's available to understand what we did well and what we need to improve,” De Witt said. “There are great tools and great people who help filter that data and extract the information that can genuinely help the player improve.

“The goal is always to identify what will help the player take the next step. Technology isn't something we use for its own sake. As interesting as it is, the only question that matters is whether it helps the player improve.”

For De Witt, the future of coaching is not about choosing between experience and innovation. It is about combining both and using everything available while never losing sight of the most important element of all: understanding the player.

And after 30 years on Tour, that search for the next answer remains the thing that keeps him motivated.