French tennis number one Jo-Wilfried Tsonga has taken on Australian Roger Rasheed as his coach for next season, the player confirmed on Saturday (AEDT).
Currently ranked seventh in the world, Tsonga has been without a coach since he split with long-time mentor Eric Winogradsky in April 2011.
"Today I have reached the point where it's getting difficult in terms of motivation, especially in training," Tsonga said.
"I was starting to run out of steam a little. Now I will have the support of someone who can pass on his knowledge and some of his motivation."
Rasheed is well known on the international circuit having coached Australia's Lleyton Hewitt from June 2003 until January 2007 and with Tsonga's fellow Frenchman Gael Monfils from 2008 until 2011.
Tsonga had previously expressed his preference for being without a full-time coach, but his inability to win a Grand Slam title has convinced him to have a change of heart.
AFP
Tags: sport, tennis, australia, france First posted October 27, 2012 09:32:08