Polish tennis player Iga Swiatek splits with coach ahead of 2022 season

GUADALAJARA (Reuters) - Poland's Iga Swiatek has split with her coach Piotr Sierzputowski after working with him for more than five years, the 2020 French Open champion said on Saturday.

Sierzputowski helped develop Swiatek's game from the junior circuit to the professional tour, leading her to the junior Wimbledon title in 2018 and the French Open Grand Slam two years later.

He was also named the coach of the year in 2020 by the Women's Tennis Association (WTA), the same year Swiatek was named the most improved player on the WTA Tour.

"This change is really challenging for me and this decision wasn't easy, either," Swiatek, 20, said in an Instagram post.

"I found out that sometimes in our professional life we need changes to develop more, evolve and meet other people with whom we're going to create a cooperation for the next stages of our development.

"I would like to thank you coach for everything that you did for me," Swiatek added.

Swiatek did not name his replacement ahead of the 2022 season. She finished this season ranked ninth and won titles in Adelaide and Rome.