Parting ways

Naomi Osaka, the young Japanese wonder, enjoyed a year of rare success climbing from world No.72 to top of the rankings with a pair of back-to-back grand slam titles. The Japanese star's meteoric rise suggested a player-coach relationship in fine working order. But 16 days after winning the Australian Open in Melbourne, the 21-year-old and her coach Sascha Bajin announced the split through tweets that has shocked many. Details have not been forthcoming other than a short tweet apiece from the pair. The decision comes just months after Bajin spoke of his desire for his partnership with Osaka to continue in the long-term. In an August interview with the WTA's official website, he said, "I believe in longevity and that if you work with someone for a longer period of time you can work more efficiently." WTA Coach of the Year Bajin, who had previously worked as a hitting partner to both Serena Williams and Caroline Wozniacki, was named as the inaugural WTA Coach of the Year at the end of 2018, his first year as a head coach. The recognition was reward for a 12-month period that had seen Osaka claim a maiden major title at the US Open as well as a first WTA Premier Mandatory win at the Indian Wells Open. During Osaka's run at the US Open, she praised her German coach for a perceived calmness that has improved her game. "He tries to make every day really fun and exciting," she said at a press conference. "I fight myself a lot, so he's sort of been, like, the peacemaker." In his WTA interview, Bajin was equally effusive in his admiration for Osaka and his role as a support for her. "She's such a perfectionist that she just gets down on herself and is too hard to herself," he explained. "In general she is more hard on herself than she should be. She's doing her thing, she's doing great." Bajin had arrived as Osaka's coach after she had chosen to split with David Taylor, the Australian who had also worked with Grand Slam winners Martina Hingis, Ana Ivanovic and Samantha Stosur. Interestingly, the news means that all four current women's Grand Slam champions have parted company with their coaches within the last year.