In an email statement, world number three Maria Sharapova said that she had ended the coaching partnership with tennis legend Jimmy Connors following her surprise opening round exit at the Cincinnati Open this week.
“It’s not the right fit for this time in my career,” Sharapova stated in an email sent to TENNIS.com.
Earlier this year, Sharapova separated with her coach for nearly three years, Thomas Hogstedt. This was after the Wimbledon tournament and then the announcement came about her hiring former top-ranked and nine-time Grand Slam titlist Connors.
Sharapova plans to just train prior to the US Open starting on Monday rather than accepting a wild card for the New Haven Open.
“I’m planning on playing a lot of matches in New York, and just for the body it’s tough to play a week before if you’re planning on doing extremely well in that event,” she stated at that time. ”I’ve just never done it in my career, so why start now?”
Sharapova lost to American Sloane Stephens in the opening round this week. This was her first match since her second round exit at Wimbledon in June.
There’s no announcement as to whether she will be working with a new coach for the US Open which begins on August 26.
