Stosur And Coach Taylor Separate

Written by: Bob Larson Tennis on 19th August 2013

Southern California Open tennis tournament

Stosur And Coach Taylor Separate

epa03813339 Samantha Stosur of Australia celebrates reacts during her final match against Victoria Azarenka from Belarus at the Southern California Open tennis tournament in Carlsbad, California, USA, 04 August 2013. Stosur won the final. EPA/MICHAEL NELSON |

While one former US Open women’s champion ended the shortest of coaching relationships, another announced an end to what was believed to be the firmest of partnerships as 2011 champion Samantha Stosur parted with her coach of six years, David Taylor.

The Australian split came just over a week before the start of this year’s US Open in New York and 29 year-old Stosur, 29, currently ranked world no.11 revealed Australia’s Fed Cup captain Alicia Molik, who succeeded Taylor in that position earlier this year, would take over the role on an interim basis.

Stosur used the Tennis Australia website to issue a statement that said: “After six years working together my coach David Taylor and I have decided to part ways. We’ve had a tremendous working relationship and I owe so much of my success to Dave’s hard work and enduring support.”

Taylor began working with Stosur when she battled back to fitness to end a ten months long absence from the WTA circuit after contracting Lyme disease. “It was one of the most challenging times of my life and his dedication during the many highs and lows of my career has been unwavering both on and off the court,” she said. “I wish Dave all the very best for the future.”

Stosur has struggled for form for much of 2013 after ankle surgery late last year, but has won nine of her past 11 matches on American hardcourts, including claiming the Southern California Open in Carlsbad this month to break a two-year title drought.

Prior to making the announcement Stosur suffered a third-round loss to Simona Halep at the Western and Southern Open in Cincinnati.

Last year at the season-ending WTA Championships in Istanbul, Stosur told The Melbourne Age: ‘‘I’m absolutely happy with what I’ve got in place and how it all works. I absolutely fully trust what he says and our relationship together. We’re just both always trying to work towards making me as best I can.’’