Former tennis world number one Naomi Osaka is without a coach for the time being.
On Wednesday, her previous Belgian coach Wim Fissette announced the end of the collaboration with the four-time Grand Slam winner.
“It has been a privilege to coach Naomi since 2019 and to see her grow into the champion she has become,” the 40-year-old wrote on Instagram.
The coach did not give any reasons for the split. Fissette had been in charge of Osaka since late 2019. Under his leadership, she won the US Open in 2020 and the Australian Open a few months later. “She inspired a whole new generation to fall in love with the game and stand up for what you believe in,” continued Fissette. “It’s been incredible to be a part of this journey.”
Since her last Grand Slam success in Melbourne, Osaka has been a roller coaster ride. At the French Open, she did not want to take part in the obligatory press conferences and finally did not appear in her second round match.
Osaka publicly addressed her mental issues on this train and took a break from playing until the Tokyo Olympics. She has now slipped to 84th place in the world rankings, and she failed in round one at the French Open this year.