Kiki Bertens believes stability and trust is the key to success ahead of the 2020 season despite a time of change for the Dutchwoman. 

A time of change is approaching for Kiki Bertens as she recently just got married to her physical trainer Remko De Rijke.

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👰🤵 ❤️30-11-2019❤️ what a day!!🥂

A post shared by Kiki Bertens (@kikibertens) on Dec 1, 2019 at 8:22am PST

It’s not only off the court, change is approaching for the former Wimbledon quarter-finalist as her and coach Raemon Sluiter parted ways during the off-season.

After the split it would have been easy for Bertens to make a radical change to her coaching team but that is not her style as she has promoted Elise Tamaela to a main coaching role.

Even through a time of change, Bertens believes stability is crucial to success, “It takes me a while to be able to trust someone,” she admitted to Dutch website De Telegraaf. 

“And I don’t want to spend that time on something like that. We’re going to continue in the same way for next year. The results were not as expected in the Grand Slams but I had other good weeks. It’s really not that I felt different playing in the Slams than in other weeks in which I could win titles.”

Although the formula to winning a grand slam has yet to be solved, the world number nine has achieved great consistency having won 55 matches in 2019, which also included the biggest title of her career in Madrid.

A new era await for Bertens with her new coach and plenty of praise was given to Elise Tamaela ahead of the new season, “For me the most important thing is that that person knows a lot about tennis. I have to be able to fully trust her,” Bertens said.

“To be able to laugh with that person, eat with her. I prefer to keep the equipment to the minimum possible and be able to feel comfortable in terms of confidence. Sometimes more people in the team only bring more opinions. And that style is not mine.”

This simplistic formula has worked for Bertens in the past and as the 2020 season approaches, she’s not looking to change it.

However will inexperience lead to the same results at grand slams, with the level of the Women’s game rising, Bertens may find that breaking the boundaries of stability is needed.

The former world number four will start her march towards more glory in Brisbane on the 6th of January.

Caroline Wozniacki has announced that she will retire from tennis after the Australian Open as a new chapter in her life approaches. 

The Dane won 30 WTA singles titles in her career and spent 71 weeks as world number one although a grand slam had haunted her for most of her career.

However that changed in 2018 after an epic win over Simona Halep sealed a dream come true as she won her first grand slam at the Australian Open.

Since winning her maiden slam though, it has been an uphill struggle on the court for Wozniacki as she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis.

Some days the former world number one and on some days, it is a constant battle for her to even wake up in the morning.

Now with other priorities taking over having been married to former NBA player David Lee since June and already studying Business at Harvard, Wozniacki today took the decision to retire from tennis after the Australian Open.

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In a statement on Instagram, Woznaicki told her followers that she had accomplished everything she wanted to and looks forward to the future, “I’ve accomplished everything I could ever dream of on the court,” she said.

“I’ve always told myself, when the time comes, that there are things away from tennis that I want to do more, then it’s time to be done. In recent months, I’ve realized that there is a lot more in life that I’d like to accomplish off the court.

“Getting married to David was one of those goals and starting a family with him while continuing to travel the world and helping raise awareness about rheumatoid arthritis (project upcoming) are all passions of mine moving forward.

“This has nothing to do with my health and this isn’t a goodbye, I look forward to sharing my exciting journey ahead with all of you!

“Finally, I want to thank with all my heart, the fans, my friends, my sponsors, my team, especially my father as my coach, my husband, and my family for decades of support! Without all of you I could have never have done this!”

Although this retirement may have been coming, not many people would have predicted it would come at the scene of her grand slam breakthrough.

Now in the last stretch of her career, the Dane will want to finish on a high as she looks to celebrate a career that has lasted nearly 15 years.

16-time grand slam champion Novak Djokovic will only have one of his coaches with him at each grand slam next season as he is set to resume training next week.

The world No.2 is currently working under the guidance of both Marián Vajda and Goran Ivanisevic, who joined the team shortly before Wimbledon this year. This season Djokovic clinched five titles on the ATP Tour. Two grand slams, two Masters 1000 and a 500 title. Ending 2019 with a win-loss record of 57-11 on the ATP Tour.

Whilst Djokovic’s last event (the Davis Cup Finals) ended less than two weeks ago, plans are already in motion for next year. Where he will be aiming to dethrone rival Rafael Nadal from the No.1 spot. In an interview with Serbian website Zurnal, Ivanisevic confirmed that Djokovic will start the new year with Vajda in full control of his programme.

“We start with training on December 9 in Monte Carlo and on the 16th we go to the exhibition in Abu Dhabi.” Ivanisevic outlined. “Then, by Christmas in Dubai, when Vajda takes over the lead role and goes to Australia with Novak.”

Despite the plans for January, Ivanisevic will remain very much part of the team. Although he has been named as a possible candidate for the vacant position of Croatia Davis Cup captain. A role he could combine with his current duties if the opportunity should arise. It will be during the second half of the season where Ivanisevic will likely feature more prominently at the major tournaments.

“Novak wants to have only one coach with him. So Marianne and I agreed that he would be at the Australian Open and at Roland Garros and I at Wimbledon and the US Open.” He explained. “A similar division will be in other competitions. I will be in Melbourne too, but because of the veteran tournament I like to participate in.”

Raonic needs a psychiatrist

Djokovic is the most prominent in terms of his accolades, but not the first player to work with Ivanisevic on the ATP Tour. Reflecting on his previous coaching duties, the 48-year-old spoke frankly about his time with Milos Raonic. Saying there was poor communication and that the Canadian ‘needs a psychiatrist more than a coach.’ The two worked together for just under a year.

“With Cilic, the most important thing was to improve his service, because a 1.98 player has to serve better. When Federer once said that no one got him with such ease as Marin and his tennis was too fast, that was a big compliment to me.” He reflected on his coaching career.
“I worked with Berdych when he was at his career decline and whatever I would tell him, he would reply that he could not do it.’
“The most complicated was Raonic with whom there was no communication. Like a wall, I never knew if he heard me at all. He needed a psychiatrist more than a coach.”

Fortunately the former world No.2 is having no such difficulty with his latest pupil. Whom he says is always looking to improve his game further.

“It helps that we have a similar mentality and that we speak the same language. It is not always easy to express yourself in English.” Ivanisevic said. “He (Djokovic) is a perfectionist, always wants to talk, seeks advice, still wants to move forward.”

Djokovic will start his 2020 season in Australia at the inaugural ATP Cup. His team has been drawn in the same group as France, Chile and South Africa.