This archive report was first published on 13 September 2019.
Naomi Osaka, the 21-year-old Japanese tennis star, has split with her second coach in seven months, Jermaine Jenkins, after a disappointing U.S. Open title defence.
Osaka, a twice Grand Slam champion, had hired Jenkins in February, just weeks after her Australian Open triumph. However, the partnership did not yield the desired results, with Osaka struggling with a knee problem and being upset by 13th seed Belinda Bencic in straight sets in the fourth round of the U.S. Open.
Osaka expressed gratitude towards Jenkins, saying, "I'm super grateful for the time we spent together and the things I learned on and off the court but I feel like now is an appropriate time for change."
She also thanked Jenkins, saying, "Appreciate you, forever warmed by you … Thank you for everything, it was a blast."
Osaka's decision to part ways with Jenkins comes after a difficult season for the power hitter, which included early exits at the French Open and Wimbledon.
Osaka's Australian Open win in 2019 made her Asia's first world number one and the first player of any nation to claim the first two Grand Slam titles back-to-back since Jennifer Capriati in 2001. However, the top ranking and the attention that goes with it proved a heavy burden, she admitted, after a tearful first round exit from the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February.
