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‘Pesky mums’: Coach and rising Chinese tennis star split
SHANGHAI, Jan 28, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – A renowned tennis coach who has worked
with stars such as Maria Sharapova says he has split with promising Chinese
teenager Wu Yibing — because of the player’s mother.
“I am no longer working with Wu,” Sven Groeneveld wrote on Twitter. “He
has a right to have a coach whose views are better aligned with his mother.”
The Dutchman thanked Wu “for a great past eight months” that included the
19-year-old winning silver at the Asian Games last August.
Judy Murray, the mother of Britain’s Andy Murray and a fellow tennis
coach, tweeted in response: “Ooof those pesky mums x”
Wu has been touted as China’s first potential male tennis star after
winning the junior title at the 2017 US Open.
He is ranked 309 in the world as he makes his way in the men’s game and
showed glimpses of his potential at last year’s Shanghai Masters when he took
a set off Japanese star Kei Nishikori.
Groeneveld and five-time Grand Slam winner Sharapova parted ways in March
last year after more than four years working together.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1205HRS