"I was confident she’s innocent from the start": No reservations for Wim Fissette about taking Iga Swiatek job despite doping case

Wim Fissette recently became coach for Iga Swiatek prior to the WTA Finals and said that the doping case that has been big news in the sport this week was known about by him and it didn't affect his decision to join up with the former World No.1.

Fissette who is a renowned coach in the sport working in particular with Naomi Osaka until recently of course has a lot to lose if not but he said he always thought she was innocent and didn't have any reservations about it.

He said that Swiatek was transparent about the case and that she left it up to him in order to decide whether he would work with her to which he decided to still get involved.

“Trust is a foundation of good relationships in our team from the very beginning,” Fissette told The National.

“Iga told me about the case and left me the decision about our cooperation. I have been observing her for a long time, her values, her work ethic, her standards. I was confident that she is innocent from the start, so it did not influence my decision about joining the team.”

“It was an extremely stressful and difficult situation for Iga and for the whole team,” added Fissette.

“Nevertheless, Iga is a fighter on and off court, this was another tough battle she won. Now we will focus together on the next season supporting each other and working as a team.”

“As a coach, it’s a dream to work with someone like Iga,” he added. “Everyone has watched matches of her, but also probably practices, and just the intensity and the focus she brings, she's determined, she's on a mission every moment that she's on the court.

“It's something that I always admired in her. The focus that she brings also in the matches, she starts the match and it's like 100 per cent energy, 100 per cent focus, and she keeps that literally every single point of the match. That's what I always admired in her. She is already super successful, but I also think we can develop her, there's more margin to grow, and I hope we will be able to do that.”