Naomi Osaka’s Ex-Coach Wim Fissette Breaks Silence on Why He Chose To Partner With WTA Star Iga Swiatek – ‘Had a Few Names’

Iga Swiatek‘s coaching misery has finally ended. Naomi Osaka‘s ex-coach, Wim Fisette, has joined her team after Tomasz Wiktorowski parted ways after 3 successful years of association. This came after the number 1 ranked player announced that she will now be looking to work with an international coach to level up her game. Speaking on the same, her new coach, Wim Fisette, for the first time revealed the behind-the-scenes and how it all went with her.

According to Fissette, he ‘had a few names‘ in mind after parting ways with Osaka, but Swiatek stood out for more than just her ranking. He highlighted that more than her position as the world number one, her personality as key factors in his decision. “Not only because she is number one in the world but also because of her personality, which is a role model for other tennis players,” Fissette explained. He expressed his excitement at working with Swiatek, adding, “I’m happy to belong to her team.”

Ever since Fisette’s inclusion to the team, multiple opinions have circulated. One among them was from Artur Orzełowski, a well-known sports psychologist. Orzełowski suggested that Swiatek’s choice to work with Fissette was not only logical but also strategic, given Fissette’s extensive experience with top athletes like Naomi Osaka, Simona Halep, Victoria Azarenka, Kim Clijsters, Petra Kvitova, and Angie Kerber.

He added that Fissette’s ability to manage the psychological well-being of elite players makes him an ideal coach for Swiatek. “It’s not a matter of sensitivity. He has the tools to work with people who are in a given state. Iga chose rationally,” Orzełowski explained, stressing the coach’s expertise in handling high-pressure situations in sports. However, there have been some who have criticised the move, citing that he is not known to stick longer with a player.

During a live broadcast on the Meczyki channel, Eurosport commentator Lech Sidor expressed concerns about Iga Swiatek’s choice to work with Wim Fissette. He suggested that Fissette is “not a man who has been introducing a revolution so far,” and typically avoids focusing on technical adjustments. “Fissette was always a very good analyst. He made good tactical plans, but he didn’t get into technical nuances.” He warned that this choice might result in Świątek facing challenges in her WTA and Grand Slam performances.

However, all these opinions do not seem to bother Iga Swiatek, as she has made her stance clear on working with Wim.

Iga Swiatek is unbothered as she opens up about working with Wim Fisette

While announcing the arrival of Wim Fisette, Iga Swiatek suggested that her focus is always on long-term goals rather than short-term achievements. She has often said that she views her career as a marathon, not a sprint, and makes her decisions and plans with this perspective in mind. Iga Swiatek, out from the court since the US Open is said to be working on her return and will be back during the WTA Finals.

She also added that she was thrilled to work with Wim. “I want to say that I’m very excited and looking forward to working with Wim. He seems to have a great attitude, vision and huge experience at a very top level of tennis. It’s always crucial to try and get to know each other better but we’re off to a good start and I can’t wait to compete soon,” said Swiatek in her post.

With her top spot under some serious threat, she will now be looking to increase her lead to the top by winning the WTA Finals. As anticipation builds around the event, it will also be exciting to see how Swiatek performs under her new mentor. What are your thoughts on the partnership? Do let us know in the comments below!