By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Monday December 7, 2020
Sascha Bajin has coached Grand Slam champions before, and he believes that with former World No.1 Karolina Pliskova by his side, he may do so again soon.
The 36-year-old former hitting partner of Serena Williams and coach of Naomi Osaka during her first two Grand Slam runs, is currently in Spain training with Pliskova, the 28-year-old current World No.6.
“I have to believe in her and feel that she can do something great,” he told Nikolaus Fink of tennisnet.com. “For me it is also important that I can help her with my way as a coach. I was then very surprised and happy that the request came from Karolina because she is a former number one and a big name. I am very honoured and grateful for this opportunity.”
Bajin, who worked with Dayana Yastremska in 2020 and parted ways with her before the end of the season, thinks that the get over the hump Pliskova will have to develop mentally in terms of her approach to the Grand Slams.
“I don't think it's a secret,” he said. “If you've won every other title on the tour and you've beaten all of the players before, it must be some kind of mental barrier that is keeping you from playing your best tennis in the Grand Slam tournaments. I think or at least hope that I can help her with this. If you've already been to the summit or have achieved something big, you know what it feels like.
"You can then pass this energy on to others. The trust in a coach who has worked with a multiple Grand Slam winner is a little different. The clear goal is to win a Grand Slam tournament. I hope I can help her with this. So far she may have put too much pressure on herself and hopefully we will stop that.”