I had a number of outstanding coaches during my table tennis career, but one of the best was Jackie Bellinger, who worked with me when I was in my teens. She was wise, determined, technically excellent and understood the game, having played at international level. It was therefore fascinating to note the level of controversy over her appointment as England junior boys coach. Nobody batted an eyelid when top male coaches were selected to work with women and girls, but Jackie’s appointment seemed almost transgressive. “I mean,” people said, “where will it end: a female coach for the men’s national team?”SponsoredWhen Judy Murray was first seen watching her son Andy on the screens at Wimbledon, people were

Source: The Times July 30, 2021 23:00 UTC