Simona Halep embracing coach-less life ahead of Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships

A coach-less Simona Halep is embracing her new sense of “freedom” as she gets ready for the upcoming Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships without a mentor in her corner.

The two-time Dubai champion has recently parted ways with her coaches Daniel Dobre and Adrian Marcu and is flying solo for the time being, keen to experience the tour on her own for a while.

Halep, who begins her bid for a third title in Dubai against American wildcard Alison Riske in the opening round, had a long and successful coaching partnership with Australian Darren Cahill before announcing a split last September.

The two-time Grand Slam winner, who started 2022 by lifting a WTA trophy in Melbourne prior to her fourth-round exit at the Australian Open, reunited with Dobre and Marcu – whom she had worked with in the past – but the agreement did not last long and the Romanian is now taking on a new responsibility of coaching herself at tournaments.

“I don’t have a coach right now, I have a sparring partner and he’s travelling with me these days. I didn’t take a decision about the coaching. I’m not looking for a coach, I’m just enjoying my time alone and hopefully I can do a good job,” Halep, 30, told The National in Dubai.

“I feel a little bit of freedom, so I think I have to enjoy this moment. I won’t say it’s the best situation but I’m looking forward to experiencing it and to see how it goes.”

Halep, who missed three months in 2021 due to a calf injury, dropped out of the world’s top 20 at the end of last season for the first time since 2013 and is ranked No 22 this week.

Asked if she’ll now be doing her own scouting at tournaments to make sure she is well-prepared for her opponents, Halep said: “No. I know all the girls and I trust myself that I