Johanna Konta may follow some of the leading men in tennis by bringing in a major figure to lead her coaching team after her split with Wim Fissette.
In announcing her decision to axe the Belgian, Konta said that she wanted to “get a new coach or coaches in place as soon as possible”, which suggested that she may consider an arrangement like Andy Murray’s or Kei Nishikori’s.
Ivan Lendl leads Murray’s entourage but does not travel to a number of the lesser tournaments, where he leaves Jamie Delgado in charge. Nishikori has a similar relationship with Michael Chang and Dante Bottini.
A coaching merry-go-round tends to start at the end of the season and Konta’s split with Fissette is likely to be the first of a number of changes in the coming weeks as most of the top players are likely to make next week’s WTA Finals in Singapore their last tournament of the year.
Until now, fewer women than men have gone down the route of working with a senior figure who is available for only part of the year but that may appeal to Konta.
Although the 26-year-old British No1 has enjoyed the best year of her career — highlighted by her run to the semi-finals at Wimbledon — first-round defeats at the French and US Opens suggested that she needs to add further dimensions to her game.
Madison Keys, Coco Vandeweghe and Elise Mertens have benefited this year from the input of Lindsay Davenport, Pat Cash and Kim Clijsters respectively, while Elina Svitolina began her rapid rise up the world rankings when Justine Henin was working with her last year.
Like Amelie Mauresmo, who used to coach Murray, Henin has been focusing more recently on her young family but could be open to a return to the tour on a part-time basis.
Arantxa Sanchez Vicario also has young children but has said she may consider coaching.
Konta was squeezed out of a place in next week’s WTA Finals after failing to win a match since before the US Open but still had the chance to go to Singapore as an alternate, as she she did last year.
