Laura Robson working with Maria Sharapova's former hitting partner
Laura Robson has turned to Maria Sharapova’s former hitting partner Didi Kindlmann as she looks for a coach to guide the next stage of her career.
The former British number one, 23, is working with the German on a trial basis before her next tournament in Yokohama in two weeks’ time.
Kindlmann spent three years with Sharapova before her positive test for meldonium at the 2016 Australian Open.
He has since coached world number 22 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova.
Kindlmann, 34, is now a free agent and well known to IMG, who manage both Sharapova and Robson.
Robson had been working with former players Lucie Ahl and Colin Beecher – employed by Junior Tennis Coaching – since June 2016. The decision to end the partnership appears to have been a mutual one.
Robson won the girls’ title at Wimbledon at the age of 14, and reached the fourth round of both Wimbledon and the US Open before she turned 20.
She has been as high as 27 in the world rankings but currently sits at 209, having effectively lost two years to a wrist injury which required surgery.
Robson won her first tournament for eight years in Pennsylvania last August and then qualified for the main draw of the US Open.
However, she lost seven matches in a row between September and January and a sustained run of success will be required before she is able to compete regularly on the WTA Tour again.