Jessica Pegula made a surprising decision when she parted her ways with coach David Witt, who has been with her since 2019.
The two had a really long history together. After Witt stopped coaching Venus Williams after 11 years, he started to coach Pegula in 2019, and the two have worked together ever since, climbing up the WTA Rankings in the process.
In 2022, Witt was even voted the 2022 WTA Coach of the Year, but only a year and a few months after that, he's no longer working with Pegula. It seems that the split was initiated from the player's side, as Witt described it as "a total surprise" when talking to tennis.com.
"It was a total surprise to me. Never saw it coming. We’ve had a great friendship for five years, so it’s very tough. I really value my relationship with my player just as much as I love coaching. It’s a tough business. I’ve been pretty lucky that I’ve only been with two players the last 15 years."
Pegula was recently forced to withdraw from the Middle East Swing, and it seems that she has decided to change a few things in her camp, one of them being the coach.
Still, Witt is leaving the partnership with positive memories, seeing Pegula grow under his guidance into one of the best players in the world.
"The hard work she put in and we put in, that was something to remember. Seeing your player succeed is the best feeling in the world."
Now, the 50-year-old American coach is open to work offers, as he'll probably start a search for new player. He didn't expect to be in this position, but with his experience, it's expected that he'll soon find a new player to work with.
"I love coaching, I love being out on the tour, helping someone—whether that’s a male or a female. I’m looking for the next challenge, the next person that wants to work hard, set goals, grow and succeed."
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