WTA: Osaka and Bajin go into extra time

US Open-Champ Naomi Osaka and the Munich Sascha Bajin want to cooperate also in 2019.

Anything else would have wondered: After their successful year 2018, Osaka and Bajin will continue in the coming season. That’s what the 21-year-old said on the sidelines of the WTA finals in Singapore. “Yes, definitely,” she said in response to the question as to whether the two would continue in 2019. “Unless he says no, thank you, I pass… or something.”

Bajin didn’t. He answered via Twitter: “How could I say no? Thank you for wanting to keep working with me.”

During the week Bajin had already thanked Osaka as well as the whole team and the parents for “entrusting me with their daughter and raising a real champ”.

Osaka and Bajin had made the leap from 70th place in the world to 4th place this year – mainly thanks to their surprising victories in Indian Wells and at the US Open.

For Bajin the collaboration with Osaka – after seven years at Serena Williams’ side – is again a long-term affair after his jobs with Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens and Caroline Wozniacki had ended prematurely despite strong results for various reasons and to his regret.