Maria Sharapova Splits With Coach Hogstedt

Written by: Staff on 12th July 2013

Maria Sharapova Splits With Coach Hogstedt

epa03761187 Maria Sharapova of Russia serves to Michelle Larcher De Brito of Portugal during their second round match for the Wimbledon Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, in London, Britain, 26 June 2013. EPA/ANDY RAIN |

Two weeks after falling to a shock early Wimbledon exit, world no.2 Maria Sharapova has split with coach Thomas Hogstedt after three years together, highlighted by the 2012 French Open that completed her collection of Grand Slam titles.

Sharapova, who lost in Wimbledon’s second round to 132nd ranked teenager Michelle Larcher de Brito, made the announcement on her personal website and said: “Thomas Hogstedt and I decided to part ways. Due to personal issues, he was not able to travel in the near future and we both agreed it was the right time to move our separate ways.

“I am very thankful for all his work, and wish him much success in the future.”

The news comes as something of a shock as, despite her Wimbledon disappointment, Sharapova has enjoyed a reasonably successful year. In early June she only failed to defend her French Open title in the final against Serena Williams and previously the 26 year-old American-based Russian won two WTA Premier titles in Indian Wells and Stuttgart.

Hogstedt was controversially hired at the end of 2010, leaving his former charge Li Na who curiously shared the same IMG agent as Sharapova in Max Eisenbud. At the time Sharapova was ranked 18^th in the world and still in the process of returning to peak form after shoulder surgery and had not progressed past the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam tournament since she won the Australian Open in 2008.

Initially the 49 year-old Swede was contracted to share the coaching responsibilities with Michael Joyce but Hogstedt took over full-time coaching duties at the start of 2011. Later that year she made the French Open semifinals and Wimbledon final and won two WTA Premier titles in Rome and Cincinnati.

The following year she won the French Open, recaptured the world no.1ranking for the first time since before her shoulder surgery. She also won the silver medal at the Olympics and made the Australian Open final and US Open semifinal.

Sharapova completed her announcement by saying: “I will be announcing my new coach in a few days. Very excited!”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: Li Na, Maria Sharapova, Michelle Larcher de Brito, Russian tennis news., Sports, Tennis Coach, Thomas Hogstedt, Wta

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July 12, 2013 at 6:56 am

Maria Sharapova Splits With Coach Hogstedt – http://t.co/T1cyA8thQT @MariaSharapova @SharapovaTweets @sharapova_news #tennis @BleacherReport