Simona Halep will start the 2016 season with a familiar face and voice in her coach's corner.
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Darrin Cahill, who was working with the Romanian star off and on during the past season, steps in as her full time coach next year. The current World No. 2 Halep herself posted the announcement on her Twitter account early Thursday.
Virginia Ruzici, Halep's manager, confirmed the news in a press statement sent to Romanian media outlet Hotnews.ro. In the statement, Ruzici also confirmed that Cahill will keep his ongoing role as a men's tennis analyst for ESPN.
Cahill started working with Halep as part of the Adidas Player Development Program. That program is being phased out by the company at the end of 2015.
In Wuhan, Halep expressed her wish then that she keep working with Cahill. "I have Darren now and I don't want to change him. I want to continue to work with him. It's just what I want," Halep said.
With Cahill's help, Halep won the Indian Wells title this season along with reaching the Toronto finals and the US Open semifinals.
A former player himself, Cahill has gone on to coach such players as Andre Agassi, Lleyton Hewitt, Ana Ivanovic, Fernando Verdasco, and Daniela Hantuchova.
Photo Credit: Open Tenis.Ro/Neal Trousdale