World number one Naomi Osaka has hired Jermaine Jenkins, former hitting partner to Venus Williams, as her new head coach.
The 21-year-old Japanese player took to Twitter to confirm the news.
"Had a great dinner with the team. Also taking this moment to thank Jermaine for joining us and coming on board lol," Osaka wrote.
Had a great dinner with the team also taking this moment to thank Jermaine for joining us and coming on board lol pic.twitter.com/OBpl5R7L2j
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@Naomi_Osaka_) February 28, 2019
Jermaine, who is a former All American collegiate star at Clemson University, served with Venus from 2015 until the end of the last season.His brother Jarmere is currently Serena Williams` hitting partner.
In January, Jermaine was named as a national coach for women`s tennis by the USTA Player Development.
The reigning Australian Open champion`s announcement comes two weeks after her decision to part ways with coach Sascha Bajin.
"After this tournament I would want to start looking at people. It is not really ideal to go to Indian Wells without a coach," Women`s Tennis Association (WTA) quoted Osaka as saying last week during the Dubai Tennis Championships.
Jermaine will join a team including fitness trainer Abdul Sallah, physiotherapist Kristy Stahr, and Osaka`s father Leonard Francois.
Osaka is next scheduled to play in the Indian Wells Masters, where she is the defending champion.
