Pam Shriver pens emotional note after ‘challenging' year and split with Donna Vekic: ‘I need to lean even more…'
Pam Shriver, International Tennis Hall of Famer and 22-time Grand Slam doubles champion, announced she is leaving her role as coaching consultant to World No. 22 Donna Vekić. Shriver, who joined Vekić's camp in late 2022, cited a punishing season off court in Los Angeles as the catalyst for her decision.
This includes having had to evacuate her home during the devastating wildfires and the temporary loss of her prized trophies. 'It's been a challenging year,' Shriver wrote on X. 'I need to lean even more into my community & my family's wellbeing.'
From San Diego to Wimbledon: How the coach-player duo started
Their partnership began at the San Diego Open, where Shriver offered courtside insights after spotting Vekić's standout performance in qualifying. Impressed, Vekić brought Shriver on as an advisor alongside coach Nikola Horvat, and later with Sascha Bajin.
The results followed swiftly. In just five months, Vekić climbed from world No. 77 to No. 20 in the WTA rankings, as per Sportskeeda. Under Shriver's guidance, she reached her first Grand Slam semifinal at Wimbledon, though she lost to Jasmine Paolini in what was perhaps the longest semifinal in the tournament's history.
That momentum carried into the summer, where Vekić secured a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, beating Coco Gauff before falling to Zheng Qinwen.
Shriver's personal loss forces a choice
Pam Shriver's Los Angeles life was upended in early 2025 when wildfires forced her from her Brentwood home, as reported by WTA. While evacuating, her car, which was packed with 11 of her Grand Slam doubles trophies, was stolen from a hotel parking lot. 'Really sad on so many levels,' she later admitted, after the trophies were recovered.
Despite continuing to mentor Vekić remotely through the Australian Open, the ordeal took its toll. In her X post, Shriver called her stint with Vekić 'one of the greatest experiences' she has had in her 50-plus years in tennis, but made clear her priorities have shifted back to family and community.
What's next for Donna Vekić?
As Shriver departs, Donna Vekić enters the middle of the grass-court season without her veteran adviser. With this official exit, the Croatian will now be working with Sascha Bajin as her main coach this year.
Coming off a lean patch in 2025—including early losses at Queen's Club—Vekić will now look to her remaining coaches to sustain the momentum built during her breakthrough seasons.
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