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.
“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.”
My Coaching Update: I am no longer working with Wu Yibing. In my opinion. He has a right to have a Coach whose views are better aligned with his mother. I want to thank Wu Yibing for a great past 8 months winning the Silver Medal at the #asiangames and his first win on @ATP_Tour
— Sven Groeneveld (@sventennis) January 27, 2019
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.”
Ooof those pesky mums 🤣 x
— judy murray (@JudyMurray) January 27, 2019
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.
Groeneveld and five-time grand Slam winner Sharapova parted ways in March last year after more than four years working together.