New mum Serena on track for Australia
Serena Williams versus Maria Sharapova is the match everyone would love to see in the new year, and there remains a possibility of it happening at the australian Open.
Williams’s chances of making it to Melbourne were being talked up yesterday, while British no 1 Jo Konta confirmed she would now be working with a former coach of the controversial Sharapova.
Williams appeared on the australian Open entry list yesterday, with tournament director Craig Tiley optimistic she will defend her title.
‘She has got her visa, she has entered, she’s practising, and she probably just needs a bit more space for a bigger entourage,’ Tiley said. ‘There is no question she will be ready in our view.’ However, her coach, Frenchman Patrick Mouratoglou, was more cautious on the matter last week, saying he will assess her physical condition following the birth of daughter alexis on September 1.
Konta has completed the hiring of Michael Joyce, a former Sharapova coach, as she seeks to bounce back from her disappointing end to last season, but has dispensed with hitting partner andrew Fitzpatrick, who had been with her for nearly a year.
The move is part of the musical chairs of coaches which happens on the WTA Tour.
Until recently, american Joyce was guiding Belarus’s former world no 1 Victoria azarenka.
Joyce, a 1991 Wimbledon junior finalist who made the fourth round proper in 1995 and reached a career-high ranking of 64, worked with Sharapova until 2011.
‘Michael is a fantastic coach with a great pedigree and I’m really excited to work with him — 2017 has been amazing but I feel like there is so much more to come,’ said Konta.
Joyce becomes her third coach in barely a year. She split with Spaniard esteban Carril after her breakthrough season of 2016, and then sprung another surprise when parting from Wim Fissette in October.