{"id":30568,"date":"2025-04-18T15:41:09","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T15:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/30568\/"},"modified":"2025-04-18T15:41:09","modified_gmt":"2025-04-18T15:41:09","slug":"former-world-number-three-reunites-with-her-former-coach-after-falling-to-her-lowest-ranking-in-eight-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/30568\/","title":{"rendered":"Former world number three reunites with her former coach after falling to her lowest ranking in eight years"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The coaching changes on both the ATP and WTA Tours continue midway through the 2025 season.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Andrey Rublev has hired Marat Safin<\/a> to be his new permanent coach, while sister Dinara Safina has began mentoring Diana Shnaider.<\/p>\n

These are not the only switchups that have been taken place, with Stefanos Tsitsipas rumored to partner Goran Ivanisevic<\/a> following his split from Elena Rybakina<\/a> earlier this year.<\/p>\n

While on the WTA<\/a> Tour, Jasmine Paolini split from her long-term coach<\/a> and now appears to be working with Marc Lopez.<\/p>\n

Many of these new coaching relationships are happening for the first time, while one player has gone back to her roots.<\/p>\n

\"PhotoPhoto by Hector Vivas\/Getty ImagesMaria Sakkari set to reunite with Tom Hill after parting ways last year<\/p>\n

After parting ways 14 months ago, it has been reported by Greek outlet Sdna<\/a> that Maria Sakkari<\/a> is set to rehire Tom Hill.<\/p>\n

Sakkari and Hill worked together for six years until February 2024, when they amicably announced that they would be moving on from their partnership.<\/p>\n

\n

The Greek has since been coached by David Witt, Sergi Bruguera and Raymond Slaughter, while Hill went to coach American player Peyton Stearns.<\/p>\n

However, Sakkari was unable to find the form that enabled her to reach two Grand Slam semi-finals and spend two and a half year\u2019s inside the top 10 of the WTA rankings.<\/p>\n

Sakkari has also struggled with injuries<\/a>, and had to cut her 2024 season short due to a shoulder issue.<\/p>\n

The 29-year-old has not been able to find form in 2025 either, having won only seven of her 13 matches and Sakkari has now fallen to world number 82<\/a>, her lowest ranking in eight years.<\/p>\n

After Hill announced he would be leaving Stearns<\/a> after a year with the American, he is now set to re-join Sakkari for the Madrid Open<\/a>.<\/p>\n\nMaria Sakkari<\/strong><\/td>\nWith Tom Hill (2018-Feb 2024)<\/strong><\/td>\nSince Tom Hill (Feb 2024 \u2013 April 2025)<\/strong><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nRanking<\/td>\nNo.9<\/td>\nNo.82<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nWin-loss Record<\/td>\n322-195 (62%)<\/td>\n27-25 (52%)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nBest Grand Slam Result<\/td>\nSemi-finals (Roland Garros & US Open 2021)<\/td>\nThird Round (Wimbledon 2024)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n\nTitles<\/td>\n2 (Rabat 2019 & Guadalajara 2023)<\/td>\n0 (Indian Wells Final 2024)<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

What has Peyton Stearns said about her split with Tom Hill?<\/p>\n

Hill helped Stearns win her first WTA title at their first tournament together in Rabat, and the American also climbed to a career-high ranking during their time together.<\/p>\n

Despite this, the Brit announced that he would be splitting from Stearns in an Instagram post just over a week ago, that suggested that the decision came from his end.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter a great 12 months together, I\u2019ve made the decision to end my coaching partnership with Peyton,\u201d wrote Hill. \u201cI\u2019m incredibly proud of everything we achieved together: her first WTA title, career-high rankings in both singles and doubles, and her first top 10 win.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m very grateful to have been a part of her journey and to have seen her grow both on and off the court. Thank you, Peyton, for the hard work, trust, and all the memories. <\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re not just an amazing player, but a truly wonderful person whom I\u2019m lucky to call a friend. Wishing you nothing but the best moving forward. A great future awaits you!\u201d<\/p>\n

\n

While Stearns has not publicly commented on Hill himself, she did also imply that this separation was not her choice.<\/p>\n

In a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), Stearns wrote, \u201cLooking for a new coach\u2026 DMs are open,\u201d with a Gif of a character looking side-to-side.<\/p>\n

Both players are next scheduled to compete in Madrid, with the potential of Sakkari playing Stearns in the first round.<\/p>\n

This would not be a first meeting between the pair, as Stearns actually beat Sakkari earlier this year under Hill\u2019s guidance at the Adelaide International.<\/p>\n