Stosur Hires Maclagan As Her Coach

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 7th November 2013

Tennis Garanti Koza tournament of Champions

Stosur Hires Maclagan As Her Coach

epa03934802 Samantha Stosur of Australia returns the ball to Simona Halep of Romania during their final match for the 2013 Garanti Koza tennis tournament of Champions in Sofia, Bulgaria, 03 November 2013. EPA/VASSIL DONEV |

Samantha Stosur, determined to recapture a place in the world’s top ten after slipping down to 18th position on the WTA computer has appointed the Zambian-born former British Davis Cup player Miles Maclagan, as her new coach.

Stosur, has been playing without a coach since a surprise parting of the ways from her mentor of six years, David Taylor, just ten days before the US Open in August.

The move is a surprise to many as Maclagan, whose brief coaching relationship with fellow Brit Laura Robson ended in October, had made it clear he wanted to return to working with a male player on the ATP World Tour.

However the 39 year-old who lives in Wimbledon and has been a regular golf partner of Tim Henman in recent weeks, is known to be a dedicated worker who likes a player with the same mindset.

Maclagan played on the Challenger circuit for several years without ever posting a ranking higher than world no. 179, made his name as a coach when he worked for three years with current world no.4 Andy Murray until mid-2010.

Born of Scottish parentage, he seemed extremely compatible with Murray until the introduction of Alex Corretja into the coaching set up compromised his position and, against the player’s wishes, he quit on a point of principle.

Previously Maclagan worked with the Zimbabwean doubles team of Wayne Black and Kevin Ullyett. After his stint with Murray he went on to coach German player Philipp Kohlschreiber later that year and teamed up with Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis from June 2011 until July last year.

Stosur, who is due to start 2014 in Perth representing Australia in the Hopman Cup alongside Bernard Tomic, first started working with Taylor in 2007 during her comeback from the debilitating Lyme disease which nearly ended her career.

She resurrected what started as a disappointing 2013 season in the second half of the year by winning titles in Carlsbad and Osaka and reaching the finals of the Kremlin Cup in Moscow and the WTA Tournament of Champions in Bulgaria, losing both to 11th-ranked Romanian Simona Halep.

Maclagan will travel to Australia to begin working with Stosur in December, when she begins her traditional pre-season training block in Sydney.

Topics: 10sballs, Andy Murray, Atp World Tour, Bernard Tomic, Davis Cup, Miles Maclagan, Philipp Kohlschreiber, Samantha Stosur, Sports, Tennis, Tennis News, Wta