Aussie tennis star Sam Stosur provided a shock off the court over the weekend, announcing she has parted ways with long-time coach David Taylor. The news from the former US Open champion comes just a week before the beginning of the 2013 edition of the Flushing Meadows event.

Stosur has called on Fed Cup captain Alicia Molik to fill the void on an interim basis, while the 29-year-old considers who to install as a replacement long-term. The development comes as a surprise considering Stosur’s recent run of good form ahead of her favoured grand slam.

“After six years working together my coach David Taylor and I have decided to part ways,” Stosur said in a statement on the Tennis Australia website.

“We've had a tremendous working relationship and I owe so much of my success to Dave's hard work and enduring support.

“Dave and I started working together during my comeback from Lyme disease, one of the most challenging times of my life.

“His dedication during the many highs and lows of my career has been unwavering both on and off the court.”

Taylor was in the coaches’ box when Stosur beat World No.1 Serena Williams in the final of the US Open in 2011 to claim her maiden grand slam title. Ironically he also mentored Molik during the high-point of her career, which saw her enter the world’s top ten.

Stosur has been showing strong hard court form of late, going on a seven match unbeaten run before Petra Kvitova knocked her out in the third round of the Rogers Cup in Toronto. The World No.13 also looked in fine touch at the Cincinnati Masters, before going down to Simona Halep in the third round last Friday in the last warm-up tournament before the year’s final grand slam.

Stosur will be hoping to address her poor form in grand slams this year which has seen her drop out of the world’s top-ten ranked players. She will be seeded 13 for the US Open, which mirrors her current world standing, having dropped a further two places. The big Aussie hope for the event in New York will be keen for a favourable draw when it is announced on Thursday.

Damien Bellemore