Naomi Osaka ends partnership with coach Bajin
In this file photo taken on January 26, 2019, Sascha Bajin (front 2nd L), coach of Japan's Naomi Osaka, watches Osaka play against Czech Republic's Petra Kvitova during the women's singles final on day 13 of the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.
World number one tennis player Naomi Osaka has parted ways with coach Sascha Bajin, the 21-year-old announced on her social media on Monday.
"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," Osaka wrote.
The announcement came shortly after the Japanese claimed the Australian Open title, which helped her become the first Asian player to be the world's number one, putting an end to Simona Halep's 48-week reign atop the WTA rankings.
"Thank you Naomi. I wish you nothing but the best as well. What a ride that was. Thank you for letting me be part of this," Bajin tweeted in reply.
The German coach, a former hitting partner of Serena Williams, Sloane Stephens and Caroline Wozniacki, began coaching Osaka in 2018.
After helping the Japanese win her maiden Grand Slam singles title at the 2018 US Open, Bajin was awarded the first-ever WTA Coach of the Year title.
