By Chris Oddo | Saturday November 24, 2018
Simona Halep will go coachless at the start of 2019. The current World No.1, fresh off a spectacular season that saw her win her maiden Grand Slam title at Roland Garros, says she wants to start the new season on her own terms after a surprise split with longtime coach Darren Cahill this winter.
More: An Era Ends as Halep and Cahill Part Ways
"I thought, but I will not have a coach next time. I want to go on tours alone and see how it will be," Halep is quoted as saying.
Cahill announced in early November that he needed to take a 12-month hiatus in order to attend to family matters. It is not known if Halep is considering a reunion with Cahill if and when he decides to take to the road again.
The pair spent four years together.
The 27-year-old Romanian won 46 matches in 2018, and claimed three titles to bring her career total to 18. She currently leads Germany’s Angelique Kerber by 1,046 points in the WTA rankings, but will be defending final points at the Australian Open as well as her champion’s points at Roland Garros.
In other news, Halep was awarded an honorary doctorate from West University in Timisoara in recognition of her achievements in tennis as well as her role as a representative and unofficial ambassador of her country.