Naomi Osaka recently changed coaches, and to address the situation, the Japanese player confirmed that the coaching change wasn't personal.
Osaka's return to tennis courts started with her hiring Wim Fissette as her coach, which was a move that created some drama at the time. The coach was committed and working with Qinwen Zheng at the time when it happened, so obviously the Chinese player wasn't very happy with him abruptly leaving her team.
She had assurances that he was committed to their endeavor, and as it was going very well, most people, including her, thought it would be that way. However, Fissette jumped at the chance to work with Osaka, but as time would tell, it didn't even last a full year.
While the coach had a solid plan of how to get Osaka to her best, it didn't quite work out according to plan. Osaka herself approached her comeback with somewhat grand expectations, which she failed to meet, so overall it wasn't the most successful partnership when compared to the goals they had set out for it.
From a neutral point of view, it was a decent comeback for Osaka, who at times proved that she can play really solid tennis. At times, she showed she was capable of playing some of the best tennis she'd played in years, but at other times, she was getting pushed around by players who weren't as good as her.
Overall, it was a mixed bag with some positive signs. Still, Osaka clearly wasn't happy about that because the Japanese player recently let go of her coach.
It was a move that surprised some because it seemed a bit premature, as there are a couple of more events left in the year, and waiting to see how those could go might have been the more sensible approach.
On the other hand, getting a new coach for a trial until the end of the year is also a good idea because then she could see whether that coach is the right fit, and next year they could start with everything set in place.
The decision on the next coach was made quickly, and Patrick Mouratoglou was named as Osaka's next coach. It was a surprising choice, but not that surprising, as he's coached some of the best players of this time.
The quickness by which it all unfolded was a bit surprising, but Osaka recently explained in an interview with the WTA that her sudden split with Fissette and quick move to Mouratoglou wasn't personal at all.
It was about her wanting to try everything and not having any regrets. Trying out working with somebody who worked with so many great players and had a positive impact seemed like a good idea, and so far, it's been working out well. She won her first match under him at the China Open as well.
"The change wasn’t personal at all. I just feel for me, I’d rather try everything and not have regrets. Patrick, he’s very famous and I would say he brings a lot to my game. I think in the short time we’ve worked together, I’ve learned a lot."
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