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Boris Becker stepped down as Holger Rune’s tennis coach after three months, citing personal and professional reasons.
Jessica Pegula's ex-coach David Witt addressed the unexpected split with the American following the Australian Open 2R exit. Meanwhile, Martina Navratilova condemned Forbes for an ‘ignorant’ article on controversial transgender swimmer Lia Thomas.
Also, Emma Raducanu's former tennis coach issued a warning to doubters following her victory in the Abu Dhabi Open 1R.
On that note, here's a brief overview of the top tennis news for the day:
#1 - Boris Becker resigns as Holger Rune's head coach after three months
Boris Becker concluded his role as Holger Rune's head coach after a mere three months.
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Rune enlisted Becker as his tennis coach in mid-October 2023, after a poor performance in the season. Since then, the six-time Grand Slam champion guided the Dane into quarterfinals and beyond in four out of six tournaments.
On Tuesday (February 6), Becker announced his resignation as Rune's head coach via X (formerly Twitter) account.
"I would like to inform you that I will step down as the head coach of Holger Rune with immediate effect," Becker wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "We started this partnership with the initial goal to reach the ATP Finals end of last year but moving forward I realized that in order for this to be successful, I would need to be available for Holger much more than I can."
The German emphasized his inability to allocate time to be at the Dane's disposAL due to "professional and private responsibilities."
"Due to professional and private responsibilities, I can’t give Holger what he needs now. I wish him only the very best and I’m always going to be his n.1 fan. I truly appreciated this journey together," he added.
#2 - Jessica Pegula's former coach breaks silence on unexpected split following Australian Open exit
Jessica Pegula's former coach David Witt shared his thoughts on their unexpected separation following the 2024 Australian Open.
Pegula lost the second round against Clara Burel in straight sets after a strong start against Rebecca Marino. The 29-year-old then decided to part ways with Witt who was her coach since July 2019.
"It was a total surprise to me. Never saw it coming," Witt told TENNIS.com.
Witt, who coached Venus Williams from 2007-2018, discussed the split with Pegula, highlighting their strong five-year friendship. He acknowledged the tennis coaching world's instability while expressing gratitude for his long-term collaborations.
"We’ve had a great friendship for five years, so it’s very tough. I really value my relationship with my player just as much as I love coaching. It’s a tough business. I’ve been pretty lucky that I’ve only been with two players the last 15 years," he said.
#3 - Martina Navratilova criticizes American magazine's 'ignorant' coverage of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas
Martina Navratilova slammed American business magazine Forbes for its coverage of transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, in an article titled 'Transgender Swimmer Lia Thomas' Body Is Not The Problem' published on February 4.
Thomas has been engaged in a legal battle against World Aquatics since September 2023, challenging a policy adopted in June 2022 that permits only transgender women, who transitioned before the age of 12, to compete in women's swimming events.
Navratilova took issue with Forbes' article suggesting a reevaluation of gender-segregated sports.
"I have seen some really ignorant pieces before, but I do believe this one takes the cake. The body is the whole effing issue- not the outside but the inside! How one looks is totally irrelevant," she wrote on X.
#4 - Emma Raducanu's former coach predicts big comeback following Brit's Abu Dhabi Open 1R victory
Emma Raducanu’s former coach Mark Petchey praised her comeback win at the 2024 Abu Dhabi Open, where the Brit defeated Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-1.
After multiple surgeries and an eight-month hiatus from tennis, Raducanu had a decent run in tournaments earlier this season, and her victory in Abu Dhabi marked another step towards her resurgence.
Petchey, who briefly coached Raducanu in 2020, shared his thoughts on X (formerly Twitter) on February 5, advising critics to savor their negativity while it lasts.
"The naysayers won’t have a lot longer to be negative about Emma Raducanu. Better fill your boots before she is back in the business ends of most events," Petchey wrote.
