Naomi Osaka was at a crossroads by the end of 2017. In the year that passed since being named the Women’s Tennis Association Newcomer of the Year, she had seen her world ranking drop 20 spots to 68th, as clear a reflection as any of her up-and-down play. Needless to say, her partnership with Japan Tennis Association-endorsed David Taylor did not bring about the progress she envisioned, and she figured another mentoring change was in order. And, in keeping with the out-of-the-box thinking of an out-of-the-box character in an out-of-the-box situation, she chose one with absolutely no experience in the sidelines.
Indeed, there was no precedent to Osaka’s decision to hire a hitting partner, even if to proven champions, as her coach. And, considering the development, it’s fair to conclude that her unique experience as a player with a Haitian father, born in Japan, raised in the United States, and representative of a country whose language she did not know informed her choice. In any case, she and Sascha Bajin clicked from the outset. She achieved new highs with every performance, culminating in a charged, if controversial, US Open triumph over prohibitive favorite Serena Williams. She then cemented her status as World Number One with an emphatic run at the Australian Open last month.
From the outside looking in, Osaka’s second straight major championship indicated a productive relationship with Bajin. With his optimistic outlook, he seemed the ideal counter to her notorious bouts with self doubt. As things turned out, however, all was not well at the top. Rumors of a rift began to surface in Melbourne, with reports on the briefness of hitting sessions with her or, worse, his utter absence in practice. That she didn’t mention him by name in her victory spiel, and that she subsequently thanked him in social media “for hitting with me” served only to ramp up speculation.
Last week, Osaka formalized the split via a terse statement that noted “I will no longer be working together with Sascha. I thank him for his work and wish him all the best in the future.” For good measure, she unfollowed him on both Twitter and Instagram. And amid all the reasons put forth for the divorce, she contended in the other day that financial issues were not the cause. “I wouldn’t put success over my happiness. That’s my main thing. I wouldn’t sacrifice that just to keep a person around.”
There’s clearly more to story, one that may not be told anytime soon. Meanwhile, Osaka is on the lookout for a new coach, and she hopes to make a decision before she defends her title at Indian Wells next month. As for Bajin, it’s doubtful that he will remain jobless for long. He’s not the newly minted WTA Coach of the Year for nothing, and while their split was far from amicable, the development isn’t unusual by any means. In fact, fellow reigning Grand Slam winners Simona Halep and Angelique Kerber likewise had to endure the same after their own successes. Which is why all and sundry would do well to look ahead. After all, they already have.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994.
