Could there be a brewing romance between Danish tennis sensation Clara Tauson and her coach Kasper Elsvad? This question has been generating buzz in the tennis circuit, especially in the wake of Madison Keys and her husband Bjorn Fratangelo’s remarkable success, who together clinched a major title in Australia earlier this season.
Keys, under Fratangelo’s guidance, managed to outmaneuver World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka at Rod Laver Arena in January, securing her first-ever major title. This momentous achievement by the 29-year-old American and her husband sparked speculation about another potential power couple in tennis, Clara Tauson and Kasper Elsvad.
Tauson, a standout in the Danish WTA scene, parted ways with her previous coach Lars Christensen after a less than stellar season in 2024. Despite reaching the fourth round at Roland Garros, Tauson experienced a series of disappointing first-round losses in subsequent tournaments, including Wimbledon, the Canadian Open, the Tennis In the Land event in Cleveland, and the US Open.
In a strategic move, Tauson brought on her boyfriend, Kasper Elsvad, to her team ahead of the Thailand Open in September 2024. Elsvad, a former tennis player himself, was born in Denmark in 1998 and had previously served as Tauson’s hitting partner. He is also a member of the Kjobenhavns Boldklub in Copenhagen. As Tauson’s new full-time coach, he has been focusing on enhancing her backhand, which is considered her biggest weakness.
With Elsvad’s help, Tauson’s backhand strokes have improved significantly. Standing tall at 183 cm, Tauson’s court mobility had been a challenge, but recent performances have shown marked progress. Her striking performance in Dubai this week is a testament to the positive changes.
In her journey to her first WTA 1000 final, Tauson defeated formidable opponents including Elina Svitolina, Linda Noskova, and again, World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka. She beat Sabalenka in the R16 with a score of 6-3, 6-2 and outplayed Karolina Muchova of Czechia in a tightly contested semi-final. Tauson’s next challenge is the title clash against another strong contender, 17-year-old Mirra Andreeva.
Amidst the excitement of reaching the final in Dubai, the 22-year-old Tauson remains focused on the upcoming match. Acknowledging the support and well-wishes from her fans, she stated, “My phone has been blowing up. I haven’t responded to anyone other than my best friends and my family yet. It’s been quite a lot. I mean, I’m going to respond to everyone when I’m finished,” as per a report on WTA’s website on February 21.
As for her performance at the event, she commented, “I think the consistency has been very important for me. I don’t think I’ve ever put down these kind of results on this level. So it’s really nice for me that I can go out there and play freely. I mean, in most matches on this level I’m going to be the underdog.”
Tauson’s opponent, the young and talented Mirra Andreeva, is the youngest finalist at the Dubai Tennis Championships and the youngest player to beat three Grand Slam champions in a single event since Maria Sharapova. Interestingly, this will be the first professional match between Andreeva and Tauson.
The title clash on February 22 promises to be a riveting match. Will Andreeva, the young prodigy, claim victory? Or will Tauson follow in the footsteps of Madison Keys and achieve success under the guidance of her coach and boyfriend Elsvad? Tennis fans around the world eagerly await the outcome.
