Tennis Today: Interesting new clues added to Naomi Osaka’s mysterious parting with coach
In Tennis Today, answers are offered in the mystery surrounding Naomi Osaka’s decision to ditch her coach, and Valentine’s Day exposes tennis’ romantics.
What’s on the site
Can Roger Federer claim his 100th ATP title in Dubai? I appears that the tournament director himself is rooting for it to happen.
Speaking of Feds, we all know about Roger Federer the singles player, but what about Roger Federer the doubles player?
We delved into his history on the doubles circuit, including one ‘bizarre’ title he won with Marat Safin.
Maria Sharapova, meanwhile, just can’t catch a break. She has been forced to withdraw from a major upcoming tournament with injury.
If she’s looking for a bright side, though, she will have more time to test herself with our fiendish Rotterdam Open quiz, which we are sure will significantly soften the blow.
What’s in the news
Mystery has somewhat surrounded Naomi Osaka’s decision to split from coach Sascha Bajin following her Australian Open triumph.
Osaka won her second successive Grand Slam in Melbourne, and appeared to have everything in place for success. Certainly, whatever kind of a set-up she had definitely seemed to be working.
However, it emerged, rather coldly, it must be said, earlier this week that Bajin would no longer be working with Osaka.
Hey everyone, I will no longer be working together with Sascha. I thank him for his work and wish him all the best in the future.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) February 11, 2019
Nothing else has really been added, leading to some speculation about where this bolt from the blue actually came from.
Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated, though, has bucked the trend and suggested that we should not be even remotely surprised this has happened.
To illustrate this, he referenced Osaka’s post-Australian Open press conference:
Q: For the second grand slam final of your career, what kind of things did you talk about with Sascha beforehand?
Osaka: I didn’t talk to him (smiling).
Q: Is that different?
Osaka: I don’t know. Yeah, no, like, we haven’t really been talking, to be honest, like before any of my matches here. He would tell me, like, one thing, then I would be, like, OK. That was it.
Wertheim’s take is that, ultimately, this situation is more reflective of Osaka’s growth in confidence than of Bejin’s possible shortcomings.
“To me,” Wertheim says, “the real story is Osaka.
“In releasing Monday’s statement she made a more abstract statement as well.
“This was a decisive, unexpected move that perhaps suggests she’s more assertive and businesslike than one might have expected.”
An interesting take indeed.
What’s on social media
Danielle Collins is not a Valentines Day person…
Madison Keys is, though…
And so is Jamie Murray…
Alize Cornet definitely is a Valentines person…
… and so is Fernando Verdasco…
Boris Becker, though… well it’s anyone’s guess if we’re honest!
What’s on TV
ATP Rotterdam
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ATP New York
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ATP Buenos Aires
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WTA Qatar
LIVE – BT Sport 1
