WTA World No.13 Daria Kasatkina has announced that she is ending her partnership with coach Philippe Dehaes.
The 21-year-old Russian has made a disappointing start to 2019 and has elected to take a change of direction.
Kasatkina won her first WTA Tour match of the year against Magdalena Frech in Dubai earlier this week but suffered defeat in the following round to Sofia Kenin.
Posting on Instagram, she said: “It is with sadness that I am announcing that myself and Philippe Dehaes are parting ways after a very successful partnership.
“I owe Philippe a huge amount for the success I've had over the past two years since we started working together but after deciding I need to take control and responsibility for my own tennis, I felt I needed to do this alone and take a break from working with Philippe but as he has a family and children to support, I understand this is not possible for him and it's best we go our separate way.
“Who knows what the future holds, never say never. I'd just like to go on record as saying thank you again to Philippe, you'll always mean a lot to me and I wish you the very best.
“Thanks for everything coach, you will always have a special place in my heart.
“Gonna miss yours on court coaching and all the song you’ve been singing in the car. Dashka.”
Dehaes, who previously oversaw the progress of Belgians such as Steve Darcis, Xavier Malisse and Oliver Rochus, and also worked at the Justine Henin Academy, joined Kasatkina’s team in October 2017.
Over their two-year partnership, Kasatkina made the biggest final of her career at the BNP Paribas Open last spring and followed that success with her first Slam quarterfinal appearances at both Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year.
Over the course of their collaboration, Kasatkina went from World No.28 to finishing the 2018 season as the No.1 Russian, capping off a phenomenal season with the Kremlin Cup title in Moscow and finising at World No.10.
She reached four WTA Tour finals during their collaboration, including the Kremlin Cup of 2017, their very first tournament together. A year on, she won that title, defeating Ons Jabeur, 2-6, 7-6(3), 6-4 in the final.
Kasatkina's next tournament will be Indian Wells, where she is the defending finalist.
