After parting ways with Romanian No. 1 Simona Halep during the off-season, it appeared as though coach Wim Fissette would be joining forces with Madison Keys, the top-ranked American youngster behind Serena Williams. However, that report was soon refuted and it has now been revealed that the Romanian coach has joined forces with another American in Taylor Townsend.

The news was first announced by Belgian website Sportwereld.

Fissette previously coached the likes of Kim Clijsters and Sabine Lisicki. Under his tutelage, Halep took part in a career-best season on the WTA tour – one that included her first Grand Slam final at Roland Garros, a career-high ranking of world No. 2, and a semi-final showing at the Wimbledon Championships. She completed her season with a runner-up showing at the WTA Finals in Singapore.

Townsend won her first ITF title in Charlottesville, defeating Montserrat González in the final. Together with Asia Muhammad she also won doubles competition at the same tournament. Just a week later she won her second ITF title in Indian Harbour Beach, her opponent in the final this time was Yulia Putintseva.

Later on in the year, she won the USTA wild card entry into the French Open, where she made her Grand Slam singles debut ranked No. 205 in the world. In the first round, she defeated fellow American world No. 65 Vania King, and then upset the No. 20 seed and No. 1 Frenchwoman Alize Cornet in the second round to become the first American woman to advance to the third round.

As one of the most promising American female youngsters on the tour, it will be interesting to see how Fissette molds Townsend over the coming months.