French Open finalist David Ferrer calls time on longtime coach

The coaching changes just keep on coming in the tennis off-season.

First, Maria Sharapova hired Sven Groeneveld. Then Novak Djokovic added the big name of six-time grand slam champion Boris Becker to his team.

Read: The new man in Sharapova’s life

Grand slam winners Michael Chang and Goran Ivanisevic will work with Kei Nishikori and Marin Cilic, respectively, in 2014, too.

And even though he hasn’t yet named a replacement for Paul Annacone, Roger Federer trained under two-time Wimbledon champion Stefan Edberg this month.

Now David Ferrer has revealed that he has cut ties with his longtime coach, Javier Piles, and will join forces with Jose Altur.

“After 15 years of hard work, effort and sacrifice, my coach, Javier Piles, and I have decided that we’ve reached the end of the road,” Ferrer told the ATP Tour website.

“It will be best for both of us to start a new phase by going our separate ways.

“This decision isn’t because of any personal or professional problem. Indeed, our personal relationship has been, is, and will continue to be very good.

We need space

“But, of course, after 15 years there’s been a lot of wear of tear on both our parts and we both need our space.”

Piles had been the world No. 3’s lone coach since he turned professional in 2000 and guided the player from Valencia into the top five and a maiden grand slam final this year at the French Open.

Ferrer is known as one of the hardest workers in tennis – maximizing his ability – with Piles the main reason.

In January, Ferrer became the 39th player in the Open Era to collect 500 wins, not bad for someone who once thought he was the worst player in the history of the top 100.

Under Piles, Ferrer also qualified for five year-end championships and became a threat on hard courts, not only on his favored clay.

Altur – the new guiding force behind Ferrer – is a former touring pro who also hails from Valencia.