List of elite players Wim Fissette has coached before taking over Iga Swiatek as his newest addition ft. Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep and Kim Clijsters
Iga Swiatek has joined an illustrious list of players coached by Wim Fissette, which includes the likes of Naomi Osaka and Simona Halep.
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Wim Fissette, (in circle) Simona Halep, Iga Swiatek, Naomi Osaka and Kim Clijsters (via BBC/Lifestyle Asia/Fanpage/ABC/Imago)
Wim Fissette’s coaching record is quite impressive. If he decides to retire tomorrow, very few coaches will match his resume. The 44-year-old has partnered with several top WTA players, and the list is unmatched. Kim Clijsters, Sabine Lisicki, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, Petra Kvitova, Sara Errani, Johana Konta, Angelique Kerber, Qinwen Zheng, and Naomi Osaka have all partnered with him.
On Thursday (October 17), Iga Swiatek was added to the list after the World No. 1 decided to team up with the Belgian coach for the next chapter in her professional career. She has been out of action since the US Open and recently parted ways with her long-term coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. The Polish star is seeking to strengthen her No. 1 position, with World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka just 67 points behind her.
Here, are some of the top players that Fissette collaborated with and how successful their relationship was:
#1 Kim Clijsters
Wim Fissette began his coaching career with Kim Clijsters. The former World No. 1 had retired from tennis in 2007 to start a family. However, she made a comeback in 2009 and hired Fissette to be her coach after only being her hitting partner.
Their partnership was a success, as Clijsters returned to the WTA World No. 1 after winning the US Open in 2009 and 2010. The Belgian coach held his countrywoman also win the 2010 WTA Finals and 2011 Australian before parting ways.
#2 Simona Halep
Wim Fissette’s collaboration with Simona Halep was an instant success. The former World No. 1 partnered with him in 2014 and reached the French Open final the same year. She followed it up with her first Wimbledon semifinal and finished the season by qualifying for the WTA Finals.
She earned her first victory over Serena Williams that same year and finished the season as World No. 3. However, she split with Fissette at the WTA Finals in Singapore, after failing to win the title.
#3 Naomi Osaka
Naomi Osaka began working with Wim Fissette in 2019, but it was a year later that he officially became her coach. Under the guidance of the Belgian coach, the Japanese star won the 2020 US Open and the 2023 Australian Open. The pair ended their partnership in 2022.
However, after Osaka’s 15-month pregnancy leave, they reunited in 2023. The Japanese worked hard for an incredible 2024 comeback. Unfortunately, this time around the partnership didn’t bring titles like the first. The former World No.1 struggled on the court and failed to reach any tournament final for nine months. They parted ways in September ahead of the Asian swing.
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Victor Okechukwu
(719 Articles Published)