Sharapova sacks Connors

[ozza]

It seems as if it was not much fun while it lasted. Maria Sharapova’s experiment of bringing Jimmy Connors, winner of eight grand-slam titles, in to coach her is believed to have involved a single defeat and a few practice sessions before the player decided it was not going to work.

It is understood a call was made to the former world No 1 yesterday saying that Sharapova’s loss to Sloane Stephens in the second round of the Western & Southern Open was the first and also last straw.

It had appeared an unlikely liaison, Connors stepping into the WTA Tour to work with a player who had already won all there is to win on an individual basis in the sport. If it is over after one match, it adds another twist to a crazy week in the women’s game.

Connors has been lured to coach only once before, by Andy Roddick, his fellow American, for 18 months between late 2006 and the early part of 2008 before they parted, as Connors found it more and more difficult to do the job on what was essentially a part-time basis. There was barely time with Sharapova to get on to a first-name basis.

It was thought that during her defeat by Stephens, the American, Sharapova might have been keener to impress Connors than to play her natural game. The unforced errors from her racket almost flooded the court and Connors was captured more than once on camera shaking his head.

He beat a hasty retreat from the grounds at the end of the match but it is highly likely that he would have left the Russian in no doubt as to what he felt about her performance.

If the strong rumours circulating the Lindner Tennis Centre here are correct, Sharapova will enter the US Open without anyone in her corner and with a raft of questions to be answered as to why the Connors appointment fell apart so quickly.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/tennis/article3844449.ece

http://www.espn.co.uk/tennis/sport/story/230211.html

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I don't think this is true. Yes, it was an awful match, but one match is not tell all about Jimmy and Sharapova. If there was anyone on shaky ground, I would say it is Carlos Rodriguez and Li. He has been with her for close to a year and no noticeable improvements or consistency.

 

[tented]

I don't think this is true. Yes, it was an awful match, but one match is not tell all about Jimmy and Sharapova.

The Times UK article was written by Neil Harman, one of the most respected tennis journalists in the world.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

I will wait to hear from the Sharapova camp on this matter. It was her first match back after injury. I am sure she was aware it might be difficult coming off injury. Sloane isn't necessarily an easy 1st match back if she is firing on all cylinders. We shall see I mean it is possible she did, but if she did wow I would have given him a shot through the US Open.

I also see the problem with coaching Sharapova is she doesn't listen to anything her coaches tell her and she has said as much, so it is kind of useless for her to have a coach if she isn't going to at least listen to what they have to say.

 

[ashwin#1]

dumps after 1 match ??? @___@
thats a new low !

 

[Kieran]

Well, they gave it a shot and it didn't work out...

 

[the AntiPusher]

When first I saw this thread's title'
, my initial thoughts were straight out of TMZ...:snigger especially if it read Connors sacks Sharapova. :sniggerJimmy will miss her:angel:

 

[britbox]

Well, they gave it a shot and it didn't work out...

Connors had a good innings.. can't complain - she didn't win a single match under his tutealage.

 

[Calvy]

I don't think this is true. Yes, it was an awful match, but one match is not tell all about Jimmy and Sharapova.

Yeah, I'm with you. I mean, no other news outlet has this story, not even tennis.com???

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

Tennis.com just took down the Sharapova story it was up for a minute and now it is down, so I am thinking people jumped the gun too soon on this. Sharapova usually speaks to things very quickly concerning any of her matters. There hasn't been anything of the sort, yet.

 

[djmm]

Hah :blush:

 

[kskate2]

The Times and ESPN still have their articles up. It may be true afterall.

 

[Sundaymorningguy]

We shall see Sharapova and Jimbo can't keep quiet for so long on this matter.

 

[britbox]

There are quite a few running it if you search on Google News.

 

[djmm]

It's official now. Here's a tweet from Matt Cronin @ Tennis Reporters:

https://twitter.com/intent/user?original_referer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.tennisreporters.net%2F&query=%40tennisreporters&screen_name=TennisReporters&tw_i=368394884115210240&tw_p=embeddedtimeline&tw_w=349184370143268865

 

[nehmeth]

Could never see Connors' personality meshing with Sharapova's. Not sure what she was thinking when she hired him.

 

[britbox]

Agreed, it seemed a strange choice at the outset.

 

[djmm]

Could never see Connors' personality meshing with Sharapova's. Not sure what she was thinking when she hired him.

She worked with Jimbo before so she knew exactly what she was getting.

 

[Correspondent Kiu]

So Masha lost her coach to Caro and is now parted with Jimbo?!

How is this going to work for her? I would have kept Jimbo at least until the end of the year, things must have really gone wrong if she decided not to.

This is bad news for Masha. This just about eliminates her chances at the big apple.

 

[Calvy]

One month???