Tallon Griekspoor will once again collaborate with Belgian coach Kristof Vliegen. The two parted ways for the second time in October last year, after a working relationship that began in the youth of the Netherlands’ best tennis player.
The 43-year-old Vliegen is already present this week at the grass tournament in Mallorca, he confirms to NU.nl. He will also coach Griekspoor next week at Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam tournament of the year.
Griekspoor had been looking for a new coach since he broke with Dennis Sporrel last month. That collaboration ended after only a few months. Former tennis pro Vliegen was available because he had quickly ended his collaboration with Zizou Bergs.
At the end of last year, Vliegen wrote an emotional farewell to Griekspoor. “Tallon and I have grown too close to each other after a working relationship of ten years. It is important for him to get a new impulse, even though we would have liked to finish his career together,” he wrote on social media at the end of October.
Talks without success
Since then, the 28-year-old Griekspoor held talks with several foreign coaches, but without success. At the end of last year, he sounded out Mikael Tillström, but the Swede preferred to continue with Gaël Monfils.
The Dutchman Sporrel did bite. Griekspoor also worked with Xavier Malisse on a trial basis, but that collaboration was, according to Griekspoor, “a huge disappointment”. Recently, he was assisted at Roland Garros by his brother Scott and fitness coach Sebastian Pisano.
Vliegen also coached Griekspoor before his breakthrough, but his duties were taken over by Raemon Sluiter five years ago. After a split with Sluiter, Griekspoor again chose Vliegen at the end of 2022. In 2023, the North Hollander won two titles with the Belgian at his side, in Pune, India, and Rosmalen.
Griekspoor is preparing for Wimbledon, which starts in exactly one week. The world number 34 has a protected status in London, so he will not face a seeded player in the first two rounds.
Later this week he will make his return in Mallorca. It will be his first match since Roland Garros, where he retired in the fourth round against Alexander Zverev due to an abdominal muscle injury.