Kuznetsova, Hantuchova hire new coaches

Svetlana Kuznetsova has rehired Olga Morozova as her coach, the two-time Grand Slam champion confirmed to TENNIS.com. As first reported by British journalist Simon Cambers, Kuznetsova is currently training with Morozova in Dubai. Kuznetsova says that she is unsure as to whether Morozova will travel full-time with her.

Morozova has also coached Elena Dementieva, British juniors, and coached Kuznetsova for a stint in 2008. Kuznetsova has been through a series of coaches through the years, most recently working with Russian Fed Cup coach Larisa Savchenko and her former Fed Cup teammate Anastasia Myskina, who consulted with her part time in 2011. While Kuznetsova finished the year ranked No. 19, the 26-year-old only reached one final in 2011 and is far off her career-high, year-end No. 2  ranking in 2007

In other coaching news, the Slovak News Agency (SITA) reports that No. 24 Daniela Hantuchova has hired Italian Claudio Pistolesi as her new coach, but the two will undergo a three tournament trial period. Pistolesi mostly recently coached Robin Soderling, and also coached Monica Seles, his former wife  Anna Smashnova, Ai Sugiyama and Davide Sanguinetti.

"Claudio and I have known each other for many years, so on personal level we both know what to expect, which is a big plus," Hantuchova told SITA. "Tennis wise it's very important for me to know that he was coach of a No. 1  already. He has huge experience and can give me lot of things. For example he wants me to play at the net more often, which was one of my goals for a long time already, but I didn't do it too much in past."  - Matt Cronin