Simona Halep Ends Partnership with Coach Van Cleemput

Former World No.1 Simona Halep has confirmed that she will end her partnership with coach Thierry Van Cleemput. The two parted ways after the Qatar Open where she lost the final to Elise Mertens. Speaking to WTA Insider, Halep confirmed the news ahead of the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

Halep hired him in the build-up to the Fed Cup semifinals in Ostrava, Czech Republic. At that time, she was bidding to help Romania book a berth in the semifinals. The two worked together for the first time at last week’s Qatar Total Open, where the top seed made a strong run to the final. Sadly, she stumbled at the final hurdle, losing 3-6, 6-4, 6-3 in Saturday’s final.

“So we tried for one week and it’s finished,” Halep said. “We decided to stop because we are not a good fit together. He’s a good person, a very nice person, but on court the chemistry is not there.”

“We couldn’t fit each other tennis-wise. Personally, he is a very nice person. We are friends.”

The world number 3 will rise to back to No.2 on Monday, ahead of Petra Kvitova. THe Romanian reached Dubai on Sunday for the Dubai Duty Free Championships.

“I can say that I am not looking [for a coach] at the moment,” Halep continued. “I have my team, I have my hitting partner with me. I feel good like this and I will take my time. I know I said that when I started the year and then I changed my mind because I felt I need a coach. Still, now I feel like I need that freedom, just to stay and just to play with what I learned from Darren [Cahill] for years.”

She went on to say that she felt more relaxed as her priorities began to change a little bit. Halep became much more responsible for herself and she usually tries to solve her own problems, on court and off court.

Despite her limited pre-season preparation and coaching issues, she is still satisfied with her level to start the 2019 season.

“I didn’t think I would panic [without a coach],” Halep mused. “Of course I was worried a little bit. I didn’t have that feeling for the last four years. Always I had someone behind my shoulders supporting me in every step. So now I am a little bit alone.

“It’s also a good thing. I see the things positively and I feel I can improve more if I stay like this.”

“I’m very happy with how I am playing, how I feel on court, how happy I am also off court, I’m relaxed. I’m taking the tournaments like a pleasure now so the pressure is off. It’s really good. I feel like there are no weights on my shoulders now.”