Polish world No 5 Agnieszka Radwanska said Monday she hopes her new partnership with women’s tennis great Martina Navratilova can finally bring the grand slam title she craves.
Radwanska recently joined forces with the 18-time grand slam winner to prepare for 2015 in a bid to end her frustrating run in the majors.
Although the 25-year-old has been ranked as high as second in the world, she has only reached one grand slam final, at Wimbledon in 2012 when she was beaten by Serena Williams.
Last year she appeared to be on target to break through when she reached the semi-finals at the Australian Open as leading contenders fell by the wayside, only to be upset by Dominika Cibulkova.
Speaking in Perth as she opened her preparation for the upcoming Australian Open with an impressive win over world No 29 Casey Dellacqua at the Hopman Cup, Radwanska said the union was already paying dividends after a week on the practice court together in Miami.
Although Navratilova is not in Perth, Radwanska said she would arrive in Australia next week, with the Pole rounding out her Australian Open preparation in Sydney.
“I am very happy she is a member of the team and I was in Miami before here so we practise together,” Radwanska said.
“She is coming to Sydney and Melbourne of course, so far so good and we will see how it is going to be.
“Grand slams – I didn’t make it yet – so I’m trying everything to win those slams ... with that I think she can help me out a lot.
“We are going to try everything.”
Radwanska said she was fully fit for the start of the new season.
By appointing the former champion as her coach, Radwanska follows a recent trend in men’s tennis, with Andy Murray hiring Ivan Lendl to help end his own grand slam drought.
Swiss great Roger Federer has been working with former Swedish star Stefan Edberg since last year, as well.
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Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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