Two-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka has signed Wim Fissette as a new coach. This has been speculated in the past, now several media are reporting enforcement. Belgian Fissette had already led Angelique Kerber to her 2018 Wimbledon title.
The Japanese had separated from German trainer Sascha Bajin at the beginning of 2019 and shortly after her victory at the Australian Open. This was surprising, especially since Osaka had also triumphed at the US Open the year before under Bajin and had finally reached the top of the world.
After the separation from Bajin, things went very slowly for Osaka: At the French Open, she only reached the third round, in Wimbledon the opening round was already over. Only a few weeks after her knockout round in September at the US Open, the 22-year-old also ended working with successor Jermaine Jenkins. After that, the third in the world rankings had trained with her father Leonard Francois.
Her new trainer Fissette is a well-known name in the tennis scene: In addition to Kerber, he has also looked after Sabine Lisicki, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, Sara Errani and Johanna Konta. Kerber said in the past that she and Fissette had ended the collaboration due to differing financial views.
In the new season, the Australian Open is already waiting from January. Osaka hopes to return to the top of the world there. In her career, the Japanese woman was number one in the world rankings for 24 weeks.