'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Iga Swiatek's coach, Wim Fissette, recently opened up about how Victoria Azarenka helped him out of a dark phase in his life. The Belgian coach had decided to stay home when his wife got pregnant, but a call from the Belarusian player changed everything.
During his playing career, Fissette did not reach the top levels of the tour. As a coach, he admitted during the Inside In podcast that he had to work extra hard to earn the respect in the locker room when compared to Hall of Fame players who turned to coaching.
Fissette explained that it took time for him to truly believe in his place guiding the world’s top players. He credited Victoria Azarenka with helping him through a pivotal moment.
Trending
"One of the players that really kind of helped me with that was actually Vika [Victoria Azarenka]. It was a very important moment in my career where I almost made the decision to stay more home and not be on the tour again. My wife was pregnant at that time, and things didn't go too well on the tour for me," Wim Fissette said (from 21:20).
Fissette recalled how Azarenka’s confidence in both him and his family, allowing them to travel with him on tour, showed him it was possible to balance coaching at the highest level with a stable family life.
"And then I got a call from Vika, and I don't know, she was so confident in me and also about my family, that my family could travel wherever they wanted, always could join me. And you know, that was really special... And Vika believed in me so much and that's why also after she gave birth, I went back because we had such a great partnership. I really enjoyed that," he added.
Although Wim Fissette was not part of Victoria Azarenka's Grand Slam victories, the duo worked together for a total of three years, spanning both her pre- and post-pregnancy periods.
Wim Fissette's coaching career: From early success with Kim Clijsters to 2 stints with Victoria Azarenka and Iga Swiatek’s Wimbledon triumph
Wim Fissette began his coaching career after serving as a hitting partner for Kim Clijsters. He quickly transitioned to coaching her and guided Clijsters to major success, including the US Open titles in 2009 and 2010 and the Australian Open in 2011. Their partnership established Fissette as a rising coach on the WTA tour.
After Clijsters, Fissette worked with players like Sabine Lisicki and Simona Halep, helping them reach deep runs at major tournaments. He then joined Victoria Azarenka, coaching her until her pregnancy.
Fissette returned to her team after her maternity break and helped her regain form. In between, he also worked with Angelique Kerber, guiding the former World No. 1 to the 2018 Wimbledon title.
Fissette later coached Naomi Osaka, winning the 2020 US Open and the 2021 Australian Open. He also had a stint with Qinwen Zheng, producing strong performances, before returning to Osaka.
Most recently, he began coaching Iga Swiatek and played a key role in her Wimbledon triumph. Over the years, Fissette has worked with multiple top players, consistently achieving major results.
