In March, news of Iga Swiatek parting ways with coach Wim Fissette sent shockwaves through the tennis world, as the duo had captured a major title and cemented her world No. 2 status. Signs of misalignment were clear, with Swiatek struggling on clay last season and faltering at the start of 2026. Now, in a surprising twist, high-flying Canadian Victoria Mboko could soon join the Belgian’s project, reigniting hope and curiosity.

As reported by AlErsalpod, Victoria Mboko has been seen working with Iga Swiatek’s former coach, Wim Fissette, in Strasbourg ahead of her final French Open warm-up event.

At this stage, it is unclear whether Mboko and Fissette are working together full-time, whether this is a trial, or simply a one-off practice session. If Mboko has tied Fissette down to a long-term deal, it will be very interesting to see how she develops on tour.

Fissette is a world-class coach who has won Grand Slam titles with four different players. Famously, he coached Naomi Osaka to two Grand Slams, and they resumed their partnership after her return to the tour, which caused controversy as he was also working with Zheng Qinwen at the time.

Zheng then went back to Pere Riba, who left to coach Coco Gauff, and Osaka eventually left Fissette. After that, Fissette began working with Swiatek, while Osaka started being coached by Swiatek’s former coach, Tomasz Wiktorowski.

It is a complex triangle of coaching moves, and now Victoria Mboko, who is looking to take the next step in her career, has become involved.

Mboko was previously coached by former French No. 1 Nathalie Tauziat, but their partnership appears to have ended after Tauziat took a new role within Tennis Canada.

It makes sense that Mboko has turned to a new coach at this stage in her career, as she is still chasing her first major title.

If she has decided to bring Fissette on board, she will be hoping his experience can help her make that breakthrough this year. It is worth noting that Roland Garros remains the only major Fissette has not won as a coach.

Even Swiatek, despite being one of the top clay-court players of her era, struggled on clay during their time together. Fissette’s potential partnership with Mboko, if it happens, could be revolutionary for the Canadian’s development and future success on tour.

When might Victoria Mboko first begin training under coach Wim Fissette?

Earlier this month, Victoria Mboko withdrew from the Italian Open due to illness. Wanting to play more matches ahead of the French Open, she signed up for the WTA 500 event in Strasbourg.

Mboko will compete as the top seed in a strong field, which includes Grand Slam champions Emma Raducanu and Madison Keys. If Wim Fissette is indeed Mboko’s new coach, he could be in her corner for her opening match. She will face either Lois Boisson or Wang Xinyu in the second round.

The Canadian will be eager for a win, having struggled on clay this year. So far, she has only played one match on the surface, which she lost to Caty McNally in Madrid.

If Mboko can advance past the second round, the challenges will only increase as she moves deeper into the tournament. It remains to be seen what Mboko can achieve in Strasbourg and, more importantly, whether Fissette will officially join her team.

The tournament begins on Monday, May 18, and it will be the first chance to see if this potential partnership develops into a full-time collaboration on tour.