Former top ten players Angelique Kerber and Johanna Konta have both announced new coaches, with Kerber back working with Torben Beltz and Konta working with Thomas Hogstedt.
Kerber has previously worked with Beltz twice before, having partnered with her compatriot from 2004 until 2013. The two then worked together again from 2015 and 2017, during which Kerber won the Australian and US Open titles and rose to world number one. They ended their partnership after a disappointing 2017 season.
Kerber has worked with several coaches since then, with Wim Fissette her coach when she won the Wimbledon title in 2018. She and Beltz have now reunited and will be hoping for a similar run of form as in 2016, with Kerber currently outside the top 20. Beltz’s partnership with Donna Vekic ended earlier this month after the two disagreed on the Croatian's schedule when WTA Tour’s resumes next month.
World number 14 Konta has started working with Hogstedt following her split with Dimitri Zavialoff. The Russian helped Konta reach the last eight of three Grand Slam tournaments last year, including the semifinal at the French Open, though the two have now split amicably after Zavialoff found himself unable to travel from his home in Switzerland.
Konta’s partnership with Hogstedt was revealed late last week, with the Swede seen at her opening match at the Battle of the Brits event earlier today. Hogstedt has previously worked with the likes of Maria Sharapova, Tommy Haas, and Li Na.
The Brit also announced that she was withdrawing from the WTA’s opening event of the revised season in Palermo, following Simona Halep’s withdrawal yesterday. Konta is instead focusing on playing the following week in Lexington ahead of the US Open.