Maria Sharapova has ended her collaboration with her trainer Sven Groeneveld after the last disappointing results. The Dutchman had looked after the five-time Grand Slam winner for four years and led her to a total of seven titles, including the French Open 2014 triumph.
Two days after the 4-6,4-6 defeat in the first round of Indian Wells against Naomi Osaka (Japan), Sharapova now drew the consequences:”After four successful and challenging years together, I would like to thank Sven for his incredible loyalty, attitude to work and – most importantly – for his friendship that goes beyond our working relationship. Nevertheless, we have agreed to go our separate ways together. I was incredibly lucky to have a team leader like him in my box for the last four years,”wrote Sharapova on her homepage.
The 52-year-old Groeneveld, one of the circuit’s most experienced and respected coaches, had previously coached Monica Seles, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario, Mary Pierce, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki, as well as players such as Tommy Haas and Nicolas Kiefer,”Maria is one of the hardest working and most professional players I have ever worked with. Their strength and fighting spirit will continue to be a force to be reckoned with. I have the greatest respect for her – as a player and a human being,”Groeneveld said on the Russian’s homepage.
Sharapova (30) has been searching for old form and consistency since her return to the WTA tour in April 2017 following a ban on doping. The current world rankings-41. was also repeatedly braked by injuries. Since their comeback about eleven months ago, the semi-finals at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart, the last sixteen at the US Open in New York, the tournament victory in Tianjin and a semi-finals in Shenzhen have been on Sharapova’s list of successes at the beginning of this season.