Tomas Berdych hires Ivanisevic as coach

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PRAGUE: World number eight Tomas Berdych said Monday he had hired former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic as his coach.

“In order to further improve I have decided to add Goran Ivanisevic to the team,” said the 30-year-old Berdych, who is skipping the Rio Olympics over Zika virus concerns.

“I feel that Goran, with his playing and coaching experience as well as with his energy, is a perfect addition to the team,” Berdych said in a Facebook post.

Goran-Ivanisevic-coach
Former Wimbledon champion Goran Ivanisevic

Berdych, this year’s Wimbledon semi-finalist who is still waiting for his first Grand Slam title, parted ways with Venezuelan coach Daniel Vallverdu in May.

He hired the 44-year-old Croatian legend Ivanisevic, the 2001 Wimbledon champion, after working with another Croat Luka Kutanjac for two months.

The left-handed, big-serving Ivanisevic split with 14th-ranked Marin Cilic last month, after leading his compatriot to the US Open title in 2014.