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Bizarre feud erupts between tennis star's coach and mum

A high-profile tennis coach has split with his star pupil over a bizarre spat with their mother.

Sven Groeneveld, who has coached the likes of Maria Sharapova, Monica Seles, Ana Ivanovic and Caroline Wozniacki, has now split with promising Chinese teenager Wu Yibing.

The Dutch coach, who helped Sharapova win the 2014 French Open before they parted ways in 2018, explained how Wu’s mum was the root of the problem.

Maria Sharapova and Sven Groeneveld in 2015. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Maria Sharapova and Sven Groeneveld in 2015. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

“I am no longer working with Wu,” Groeneveld wrote on Twitter.

“He has a right to have a coach whose views are better aligned with his mother.”

The Dutchman thanked Wu “for a great past eight months” that included the 19-year-old winning silver at the Asian Games last August.

Judy Murray, the mother of British star Andy and a fellow tennis coach, tweeted in response: “Ooof those pesky mums.”

Wu has been touted as China’s first potential male tennis star after winning the junior title at the 2017 US Open.

He is ranked 309 in the world as he makes his way in the men’s game and showed glimpses of his potential at last year’s Shanghai Masters when he took a set off Japanese star Kei Nishikori.

Wu Yibing in action against Kei Nishikori. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)
Wu Yibing in action against Kei Nishikori. (Photo by Fred Lee/Getty Images)

Groeneveld and five-time grand Slam winner Sharapova parted ways in March last year after more than four years working together.