Safin drops Volkov as coach, hooks up with Gumy

Former world number one Marat Safin has dropped his long-time coach Alexander Volkov following a spate of poor results.

"I'm grateful to Sasha Volkov who in the last couple of years has always been there when I needed him, as a friend and coach," the Russian said on his website.

Instead, Safin has decided to team up with Argentine Hernan Gumy, who has coached several top players including former world number one and French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten, Guillermo Canas and Guillermo Coria.

"I know I need to get fitter... and with a new coach I feel that I can bring something more to my game," said Safin, who has changed coaches several times since bursting on to the scene by winning the 2000 US Open at the age of 20.

Safin, 27, has been without a victory since triumphing at the 2005 Australian Open for his second grand slam title.

He returned to the tour in February last year after six months out with a left knee injury but failed to regain his top form.

He then saw his ranking plummet outside the top 100 for the first time since 1998.

Safin was dumped out of the French Open in the second round by little-known Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in May before going out to Roger Federer in the third round of Wimbledon last month.

The 22nd-ranked Russian is seeded third at the Los Angeles Cup which starts today.

David Nalbandian has hired fellow Argentine Martin Jaite as his coach in a bid to get back into the world top 10, the former number three, now ranked 24, said in a statement issued in Buenos Aires. Jaite, a 42-year-old former tour player with considerable coaching experience, will start work with Nalbandian before next month's Montreal Masters Series event, part of the North American hardcourt circuit.