Angelique Kerber announces that she has hired a new coach, 33-year-old Iranian Benjamin Ebrahimzadeh. Kerber had worked with German Torben Beltz since mid-2011, when she began her push into the top 10. Under Beltz, she won three singles titles, reached two Grand Slam semifinals, had a stint in the Top 5, and twice reached the WTA Championships. However, in 2013, she failed to reach the quarterfinals of a major.
“Torben is a great professional and I’m really thankful for everything he has done for me and my career in the past,” she said on Facebook. “I wish him all the best in his coming projects. It’s time now for me to try something different and see how it goes.”