SUMMARY
- Jessica Pegula has not started the 2024 WTA tour season as she expected.
- Jessica Pegula has parted ways with her coach, which has caused the tour to believe the existence of a curse.
The WTA tour currently sees three ongoing events with three different ranking points up for rewards. The traditional hectic schedule is being followed as players and coaches get busy. But a new curse has distracted the coaches from the hectic WTA tour, especially after the case of Jessica Pegula. She has played in three events this season so far.
Pegula exited in the second round of the Australian Open. The American then decided to split away from her coach, David Witt. He has been coaching Pegula since 2019. With his exit from Pegula’s team, the tour has seen the winners of the WTA Coach of the Year separating from their teams since 2018. It comes a few weeks after Aryna Sabalenka had broken the “breakpoint” curse.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS VIA @TENNIS 🚨
World No. 4 Jessica Pegula has ended her coaching relationship with 2022 WTA Coach of the Year David Witt. pic.twitter.com/jOfRL9a04L
— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) February 5, 2024
2018 Sascha Bajin won the WTA Coach of the Year Award in 2018. He lost his coaching role as Naomi Osaka‘s coach at the start of the 2019 season. The winner in 2019 was Craig Tyzzer, who was relieved of his duties when Ashleigh Barty retired from the game in 2022. Then it was Conchita Martinez and Garbine Muguruza in 2021. Witt won the award in 2022 and will now look for another player.
Jessica Pegula is hoping to appoint a new coach soon
Pegula has not had the perfect start to the 2024 season. She notched up four victories in January. Pegula still has nine months left this season and will need to appoint a new coach soon to get back to form. She has many options on the tour to choose from. One of the top coaches currently without a player is Rick Macci. So far, he has coached five world No. 1 players from the ATP and WTA tours.
Macci has coached Andy Roddick, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Maria Sharapova, and Jennifer Capriati. He will have the experience of coaching different generations of players. Another senior coach who can be a potential candidate is Patrick Mouratoglou, who has coached Serena and Simona Halep among the Grand Slam winners.
Among the young coaches, Dmitry Tursunov will be eager to coach Pegula after being with Sabalenka, Anett Kontaveit, and Belinda Bencic. He can provide Pegula with the fire needed in the big stages. She could also go with Roddick, who has yet to coach a player. Pegula has been in talks with Roddick, who can get back her form, which is needed this season.