- Headlines on Jessica Pegula fires coach David Witt remain a big puzzle
- Witt has coached Pegula for years and he took her from over world No 50 to world No.3
- Pegula defends her decision to let Witt go saying that she is making necessary changes
Headlines on Jessica Pegula sacks coach David Witt remain a big puzzle to the tennis coach who says he never saw it coming.
Pegula defends her decision to let Witt go saying that she is making necessary changes to her team to secure a successful tennis season.
Jessica Pegula Sacks Coach David Witt
The American tennis player fired Witt following her early exit at the Australian Open 2024. Pegula was surprisingly eliminated in the second round of the Melbourne event.
She entered the tournament seeded 5th but lost to unseeded French player Clara Burel in straight sets (6-4, 6-2). This defeat came as a significant upset, as Burel was ranked much lower at the time and had never beaten a player ranked in the top 10 before.
Pegula did not talk much about why she decided to let Witt go after having him as her coach for years.
Jessica Pegula with David Witt. Photo/ESPn
What Does David Witt Say About His Firing By Jessica Pegula?
Witt said it was a big surprise learning that his services as a tennis coach to Pegula were no longer needed. He also noted that he had a great friendship with the world No. 4 and he always valued his coaching job.
“It was a total surprise to me. Never saw it coming,” Tennis.com reports. “We’ve had a great friendship for five years, so it’s very tough. I really value my relationship with my player just as much as I love coaching.
The tennis coach consoled himself by stating that he has had a brilliant career as a coach in the last 15 years where he only managed two players.
But, he is also aware that being a tennis coach is a tough job and such eventualities are to be expected.
“It’s a tough business. I’ve been pretty lucky that I’ve only been with two players the last 15 years.”
What Did Jessica Pegula Achieve With Former Coach David Witt?
Under the guidance of Witt, Pegula has transformed into one of the most dependable figures on the WTA Tour. Their partnership bore fruit swiftly, with Pegula securing her first title at the Washington Open in August 2019, weeks after teaming up.
By 2021, she had broken into the top 50 and later ascended into the top 20 rankings. The year 2022 marked a significant milestone for Pegula, with three Grand Slam singles semi-final appearances and a debut in the top 10 rankings in June.
Jessica Pegula biography. Photo/ DSGuruJi.
She followed it up with a career-high ranking of world No. 3 four months later. Additionally, she clinched her inaugural WTA 1000 title at the Guadalajara Open in November, earning Witt the prestigious title of WTA Coach of the Year.
Pegula reached five finals in 2023 triumphing at the WTA 1000 Canadian Open and the WTA 250 Korea Open. Notably, she finished as the runner-up to Iga Swiatek at the season-ending WTA Finals, concluding the year ranked No. 5.
Her 2024 season commenced with a semi-final appearance at the Adelaide International but encountered an early exit at the Melbourne Park Grand Slam.
Witt said the best part of working with Pegula is her dedication and hard work which called her up to the top five rankings in the WTA charts.
“The hard work she put in and we put in, that was something to remember. Seeing your player succeed is the best feeling in the world.”
“You just never know how high a player can go. Me as a coach, I go into it thinking I’m going to try to get the best out the player that I’m working with. I think we’ve done that,” he remarked.
Despite parting ways with her, he is optimistic that she will win a Grand Slam soon. His only regret is that he will not be around to take her through it.
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