Maria Sakkari announces split from longtime coach Tom Hill after Doha exit

Maria Sakkari and coach Tom Hill announced they would part ways after six years together. The news comes after Sakkari, a former world No. 3, lost a third straight match at the Qatar TotalEnergies Open on Tuesday.

“Tom, Thank you for all the emotions, the support on and off the court, and the belief you had in me since day one,” Sakakri wrote on Instagram. “We grew together, and you helped me realize that everything is possible. Not only did you make me a better tennis player, but you also made me a better person.

“Thank you for always wanting the best for me and for always having my back! Good luck on the next chapter in your career.”

The split appears amicable, with Hill commenting on Sakkari’s post and writing an equally effusive missive on his own social media.

“Maria is not only an incredible athlete but a great person,” Hill posted. “Working with Maria has been an absolute privilege and I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together.”

Under Hill, Sakkari evolved from a Top 50 player to a Top 8 stalwart, reaching two Grand Slam semifinals and winning her first WTA 1000 title last fall in Guadalajara. She has also qualified for the WTA Finals for the last three years, twice reaching the semifinals.

Sakkari, 28, joins fellow players Jessica Pegula and Holger Rune on the coaching hunt after each split with their coaches in the first two months of 2024.

“It’s a really awkward time to do it,” Andy Roddick said of the trend of early-season coaching splits the latest episode of his *Served* podcast with Jon Wertheim. “You never look at someone splitting right after Australia and think, ‘This is going according to plan.’ No one makes a choice in the off-season to only work with someone for a month and switch everything up after the first month of the season. This is not something that’s working.

“You feel like it should have been addressed in the off-season. It’s a tough lesson learned if you’re learning it and making that rash of a decision after one Slam.”

Neither Sakkari nor Hill have announced any new coach/pupil arrangements.