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Just a day after he announced the retirement from professional tennis, the 29-year-old Belgian Germain Gigounon has been announced as the newest member in the coaching staff of his compatriot Yanina Wickmayer, a former world number 12. Germain is a former top-200 player who had played 100 Challenger matches, reaching one final back in Santos three years ago.
His career was mainly linked with the Futures events and he competed in more than 450 matches on that level, winning more than 300 matches and claiming 15 titles from 23 finals, 12 of those on clay. Germain made a nice progress in 2018 after struggling with injuries last year, earning almost 600 places in the rankings after reaching four Futures finals, lifting two trophies.
Despite that, he has decided he has had enough and he is now ready to help his compatriot Yanina Wickmayer on her comeback trail in 2019. Yanina is a former world number 12 but she will finish the season outside the top-100 for the first time since 2007 after struggling to find form in the season behind us, scoring just three WTA wins and deciding to skip the Asian swing and recharge her batteries before the start of 2019.
She claimed five WTA title, with the most recent one coming in Washington in 2016, and she grabbed 41 Grand Slam wins, playing in the semi-final of the US Open back in 2009 and never repeating a similar run on the biggest tennis stage.
"Happy to announce Germain Gigounon will join team Wicky in 2019! Very excited about sharing this new chapter and challenge with someone who is as motivated and positive. Thanks for believing and trusting in my goals."