Coaching changes: Kerber splits with Fissette, Konta parts with Joyce

Reigning Wimbledon champion Angelique Kerber will start the upcoming season with a new coach by her side, her team announced this week.

In a statement from her management, the current World No.3 said she is parting ways with Belgian coach Wim Fissette - effective immediately.

“Despite the successful partnership since the beginning of the season, this decision was made due to different views in regards to the future collaboration,” the statement read.

“We thank Wim Fissette for his professionalism and commitment to the team, which contributed to reaching the goals for the ongoing season including the Wimbledon title and Angelique’s return to the Top 3 of the WTA ranking.”

Kerber hired Fissette in October 2017 to succeed longtime coach Torben Beltz. With Beltz she claimed two Grand Slam titles in 2016, an Olympic silver medal and posted a runner-up showing at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global and end the year as World No.1.

But the pair parted ways after a trying 2017 season, which saw Kerber’s ranking fall outside the WTA Top 20 for the first time and fall behind Julia Goerges as Germany’s No.1 player.

Since working with Fissette, Kerber has claimed her third Grand Slam title at Wimbledon, lifted the trophy in Sydney and posted a semifinal result at the Australian Open along with back-to-back quarterfinals at Indian Wells and Miami. As a result, she’s climbed back up the rankings to sit at WTA World No.3.

Kerber’s management also added that she will contest the WTA Finals in Singapore - where the German qualified second in singles - without a coach:

“After the WTA Finals in Singapore, a new coach will be appointed,” the statement read.

In other coaching news, Britain’s No.1 Johanna Konta has also called time on her partnership with Michael Joyce.

Konta hired the American during last year’s offseason, looking to build on a fantastic 2017 season which saw her reach the semifinals at Wimbledon, quarterfinals at Australian Open and lift the biggest trophy of her career at the Miami Open.

But the Brit was unable to recreate that success in 2018, and is currently ranked No.44 in the world. Konta is currently competing at the Kremlin Cup in Moscow with Dimitri Zavialoff, former coach of Timea Bacsinszky and Stan Wawrinka, on a trial basis.