MONTREAL—When Canadian tennis star Genie Bouchard gets on the plane in Montreal Friday night to head to Antwerp, Belgium, for her next WTA tournament, she’ll have a new coach by her side.

The 20-year-old from Montreal is set to announce the new hire before she leaves town, but the Star has learned his identity.

It’s a surprise choice — not one of the names speculated about since she parted ways with long-time coach Nick Saviano in November.

Bouchard’s new coach will be the experienced and highly respected Sam Sumyk.

As recently as last week’s Australian Open, the 47-year-old Frenchman was working with former No. 1 Victoria Azarenka, who is on her way back up after a long injury layoff in 2014.

Prior to that, Sumyk coached Russian Vera Zvonareva.

Sumyk and Bouchard were spotted training at the National Tennis Centre in Montreal this week — almost hiding in plain sight among the recreational players on the surrounding courts. The coaching hire was confirmed to the Star by a reliable source.

Reached at his downtown Montreal hotel, Sumyk declined to comment, referring any questions to Bouchard or agent Jill Smoller.

It may prove to be a bit of a delicate situation — only in tennis — as Sumyk’s wife, former Tour player Meilen Tu, is Azarenka’s agent. Tu works for Lagardère, which long represented Bouchard until she didn’t renew them in October and subsequently signed with rival agency IMG. The three are neighbours in Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Azarenka is currently in Budapest, Hungary, playing Fed Cup for Belarus. She is not entered in the Antwerp tournament.

Sumyk and Azarenka had a long association by WTA Tour standards — five years — and she has given him full credit for her rise to the top.

When they started working together, Azarenka was 21 years old and was ranked No. 7 in the world. Just two years later, she was No. 1 with her first Grand Slam title, the 2012 Australian Open, in her pocket. She won it again in 2013.

Bouchard turns 21 on Feb. 25 and is ranked No. 7 in the world.

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