In a stellar display of action, Chinese player Qinwen Zheng reached the final of the Australian Open in 2024. This is her maiden Grand Slam final, and she will be facing the undisputed defending champion, Aryna Sabalenka.
Zheng defeated Ukrainian player Dayana Yastremska in straight sets to secure her position. Ever since her GS final entry, her former coach, Wim Fissette, has been in the news. Just a few months ago, he abruptly left Zheng to coach Naomi Osaka.
Who is Wim Fissette?
Wim Fissette is a Belgian coach who is also a former player. He has coached several big names in tennis, like Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep, Kim Clijsters , Naomi Osaka, and Qinwen Zheng.
His coaching career started in 2009 with the Clijsters. In 2014, he started coaching Halep. Under him, the Romanian reached the quarterfinals of the AO, which was also her first QF, the final of Roland Garros, and the semis at Wimbledon.
In February next year, it was announced that Fissette would be coaching Azarenka. He remained with the Belarusian until 2016 but parted ways when she announced her pregnancy.
In 2020, it became known that the Belgian would now coach the two-time Grand Slam champion, Naomi Osaka. He was with her until she announced an indefinite hiatus from the sport. In the previous year, he started coaching Zheng.
Wim Fissette contract ends with Qinwen Zheng
Zheng and Fissette’s contract started off with a rocky start as the Chinese went on a spree of losses. Earlier, she was playing and training under Pere Riba, but that ended unfortunately. Under him, the Chinese won her first title at Palermo and then reached her first quarterfinal at the US Open.
But eventually, weeks later, their partnership came to an end. It came to be known that he would be rejoining Osaka, who was making a return to the sport.
Former World No. 1 Osaka worked with the Belgian coach for the last two of her four Grand Slam wins. This unfortunate news was announced by Zheng herself after her victory at the Asian Games.
I understand his decision, but my family and I feel hurt. Right now I don't want to talk about this person. Said Zheng.
Wim Fissette coaches Naomi Osaka on her short-lived comeback spree
Kim Clijsters won three Grand Slam titles while under Fissette’s guidance, including two straight US Open wins.
As of now, Osaka’s post-pregnancy performance has not been that good . She managed to reach the second round of the Brisbane International. In the Australian Open, she succumbed in the first round itself, losing to French player Caroline Garcia.
Although an entire year is left for Osaka and Fissette to work together and make an impact on the WTA Tour, only time will decide if Fissette’s controversial switching will be a boon to the Japanese.
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