Simona Halep confirms new coach, gets real on how she feels about Patrick Mouratoglou

Simona Halep has found a new coach as the two-time Grand Slam champion is set to start working with Spanish coach Carlos Martinez. 

After winning her doping ban appeal and being cleared to return to tennis earlier this month, 32-year-old Halep played her first tournament since her doping ban on Tuesday. In Miami – where Halep was joined by training partner Thiago Monteiro and a physiotherapist – she showed some promising signs early on before losing to Paula Badosa 6-1 4-6 3-6 in the first round. 

Following her Miami exit, Halep revealed to Romanian media that her new coach is Martinez, who in the past worked with former two-time Grand Slam champion Svetlana Kuznetsova, as well as with Daria Kasatkina and Clara Tauson. With world No. 11 Kasatkina, Martinez collaborated for four years before the two split in 2023 February.

“I spoke with Carlos Martinez, I will have a period of preparation, of getting to know each other, so to speak, after Miami, when I will return to Europe. I hope it goes well, I appreciate him very much, he worked with players who I really liked, like Svetlana Kuznetsova,” Halep told Digi Sport.

“I hope we get along and I hope I’m able to work at the level he wants and do good work together,”

Halep on her relationship with coach Patrick Mouratoglou

Before her doping ban, Halep was working with coach Mouratoglou. But after everything that happened, the two went their separate ways. 

When asked about where she stands with Mouratoglou – who admitted to unknowingly providing Halep a supplement that was contaminated with a banned substance – the Romanian insisted everything was fine between her and her former coach. 

Recently, Mouratoglou started working with Holger Rune again. 

“Well, we saw each other two days ago. We said hello to each other. I wish him good luck with Rune. I know they do a good job,” Halep said in her post-match press conference.

“But it’s done, so I finish with them working. Yeah, we say hello. I actually say hello to everyone, so I don’t have, like, hate inside myself. It’s good.”

It will be interesting to see if coach Martinez can help Halep make a very strong comeback after being out of action for a very long period.