Croatian WTA star Donna Vekic has introduced a pivotal change to her team, fueling expectations for an impressive 2025 season. Currently performing under the tutelage of  former tennis personality and television broadcaster Pam Shriver, Vekic recently welcomed another established figure to her team, someone who worked with none other than Naomi Osaka. Her strategic move has excited the fraternity, bringing anticipation about remarkable performances in the upcoming season.

Vekic has made a surprising change in her team ahead of the next season. Previously, the Croatian player was coached by Nikola Horvat till 2022. However, things changed after the 2022 Cincinnati Open. In the latter half of the 2022 season, Vekic welcomed Pam Shriver to her team giving Horvat the baton as her primary coach. Now after two years of collaboration with these two coaches, Vekic is bringing a change into her team and welcoming Naomi Osaka’s former teammate, Sascha Bajin.

This Croatian player shared a picture from her on-court practice session with Bajin and dropped a warm “Welcome” pointing at him. Bajin has previously joined hands with Karolina Pliskova, Kristina Mladenovic,  Dayana Yastremska, and Alycia Parks.

Bajin worked with Naomi Osaka for a short time. However, the duo parted ways for an unknown reason. After their fallout, Osaka revealed that this decision was not about money. Now according to the tennis-prose media publication, Osaka ended her partnership with Bajin because the latter’s girlfriend is also a WTA player. However, neither Bajin nor Osaka did confirm the news. Now, Bajin is working in Vekic’s team helping her to start her 2025 season with a bang.

Although Bajin’s presence in Vekic’s team delighted the fraternity, it also intrigued them if Vekic’s argument with her coaching team during this year’s Wimbledon was a catalyst in this decision. While the Croat is yet to reveal that, let’s find out, what happened that day.

Donna Vekic attracted controversy after she argued with her coaching team

During the 2024 Wimbledon, Vekic shouted at her coach five times when she defeated Lulu Sun in the quarterfinals. During-game coaching is a recent change – largely believed to help players. However, Vekic revealed that it didn’t work well for her. “I told them to shut up five times during the match. Probably not. But it’s also nice when I reach out to them, that I can reach out in case I need help. I know that they’re always there,” she said in a post-match press conference. Later, the Croatian player explained, “I was so angry, I was so angry at myself because even to get broken in the first set at 5-All, then finally managed to break her in the second set, then get broken. I don’t know where those double-faults came from. I wasn’t particularly nervous. I was surprised that I was just hitting double-faults.” Vekic’s comments highlighted that her frustration resulted in that behavior.

However, Vekic was always respectful of Shriver. “Well, Pam is, first of all, a great person off the court She’s had an amazing career. She has so much experience, especially because playing, and then the last couple of years she’s been commentating. She knows all the players really well,” she said. Her words echoed her admiration for the coach.

Donna Vekic’s new partnership with Sascha Bjin is expected to help the WTA star improve her form for the next season. Given that Vekic seems satisfied working with Bajin, it expected the partnership will prove to be fruitful for the WTA star.