Maria Sharapova Fires Jimmy Connors After Just One Match; Will Play In U.S. Open Without Coach?

Just over a month into their much ballyhooed union, Maria Sharapova has fired tennis legend and coach Jimmy Connors.

Three days after dropping a three set match to Sloane Stephens in the second round of the Western & Southern Open in Cincinnati and 34 days into their teaming, USA Today is reporting the two have parted ways and Sharapova is expected to compete at the upcoming U.S. Open without a coach.

After the Stephens’ loss, Connors tweeted "Every good round starts with a bogey -- not the start we wanted, so back to work tomorrow."

But apparently Sharapova, ranked No. 3 in the world, had other thoughts. The announcement marks the second time a would-be pairing between the two has proven short lived. The two briefly worked together before the 2008 Australian Open before Connors walked away from the arrangement.

"I thought I started the match off pretty well,” Sharapova told reporters of the Stephens match. “But when you put yourself in a really good position, you can't let it go. That's what I did tonight. I didn't continue what I was doing well for the first set and a half, and that hurt me.”

Sharapova has won four Grand Slam titles and has been ranked as the WTA’s top player on at least five different occasions.

 

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