Halep aware of 'risk' of starting season without coach
Simona Halep feels she may benefit from doing her own thing rather than appoint a new coach without Darren Cahill in her corner.
Published : Jan 07, 2019 01:10 IST
Simona Halep knows she has taken a "risk" to start the season without a coach but wants to "chill" and "go with the flow" after an emotional 2018.
Halep plans to go solo for at least a few months after long-time coach Darren Cahill took a year-long hiatus for family reasons. The world number one will start her 2019 campaign at the Sydney International after recovering from a back injury and says she is happy to go it alone - for the time being at least.
"The situation is that for the next three to four months, I don't want to take the coach," Halep told
Halep said of Cahill's decision to take a break: "He took the decision because of the family and the family comes first always. I was not disappointed or upset, I fully understood. We have a very good relationship.
"We talk most of the days. I asked for advice and he gave it to me. We talked during the off-season as well. It's not the same of course, because he's not my coach anymore. But we are great friends and that is the most important.
RELATED | Djokovic conqueror Bautista Agut targeting top 10
"The last four years were with Darren and they were the best four years. I can say it's tough without him. I have helping me the [Romanian] Fed Cup captain [Florin Segarceanu], but he's not my coach. He just came to be around."
She added: "I just want to chill. I had enough pressure, I had enough tension during these years. Now I feel like I don't want to commit to anyone because when you take a coach you have to commit to that person and you want to do the best for him and the team.
"So I need to be chilled for a few months, a few weeks, because last year was a tough year, emotional stuff. I feel better if I stay like this. It''s my decision and I don't know if it's the best, but I took the risk to do that."