Former number one Henin to coach Ukraine’s Svitolina
Sports »
Other Sports
KYIV: Former world number one Justine Henin of Belgium is set to serve as a coaching consultant to Ukraine’s top player Elina Svitolina, local media reported Thursday.
“I’m very happy that Justine will join our team,” Ukrainian sports website http://www.tennis.sport.ua quoted Svitolina, 21, as saying.
The contract of the 33-year-old Belgian says that she will act as a special consultant to Svitolina, currently ranked 21st in the world.
“It’s too early to say anything for the moment as we have plenty of work to do,” Svitolina said.
“I need to be completely focused on my practices and matches as every slight detail is very important at this level.”
Henin will accompany the Ukrainian player to some of her tournaments, the first of which is coming up next week in Dubai.
Svitolina studied at Henin’s tennis academy in Belgium and practised under Henin’s supervision in Abu Dhabi ahead of this season’s start.
She noted that her co-operation with Henin — who won seven Grand Slam singles titles and a gold medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 — had been very helpful.
This season Svitolina, who has won three WTA titles during her career so far, reached the final of the Hopman Cup tournament in Perth, Australia last month, along with Alexandr Dolgopolov.
Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2016