Just weeks after celebrating one of the biggest moments of her career (ATX Open champion), Peyton Stearns finds herself back in the headlines – this time for a difficult off-court decision. The rising American star has confirmed she has parted ways with coach Rafael Font de Mora amid an ongoing WTA investigation into alleged misconduct.

Stearns, currently ranked world No. 48, revealed the split during an interview at the Indian Wells Open. The decision came shortly after the season’s opening Grand Slam, though the 22-year-old declined to elaborate on the reasons behind it. “I’m not going to dive into that,” Stearns said when asked about the separation.

The coaching situation had drawn attention earlier this year during the Australian Open when it emerged that Font de Mora was under investigation for alleged violations of the WTA’s Code of Conduct and Safeguarding Code. According to reports, two former WTA players – including Grand Slam doubles champion Pam Shriver – filed complaints with the tour after seeing him working with Stearns. The complaints were reportedly made out of concern for the young American and other players on the circuit.

Shriver’s complaint relates to Font de Mora’s past coaching relationship with former American player Meghann Shaughnessy. He began coaching her as a teenager, and the two later became engaged when she was 19, though Font de Mora has maintained that their relationship was platonic until she turned 18. The pair eventually split in 2005, and Shaughnessy has not accused him of wrongdoing.

A separate anonymous complainant alleged aggressive and abusive behavior during training sessions, claims that another former player reportedly corroborated. Font de Mora previously indicated he planned to travel full-time with Peyton Stearns during the 2026 season. But now, things are quite different for the Spaniard.

Stearns has since begun working with Roberto Ortega, known for previously coaching Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. While the WTA has not publicly commented on the details of the case, stating that safeguarding investigations remain confidential, the situation highlights the growing scrutiny around coaching relationships in professional tennis. The tour faced a similar issue last year involving Elena Rybakina’s coach Stefano Vukov, who received a temporary ban following findings of abusive conduct before later returning after an appeal.

For now, Peyton Stearns appears focused on moving forward both on and off the court. But as the WTA’s investigation continues, the spotlight remains firmly on the circumstances surrounding Font de Mora’s return to the tour and what the outcome might mean for the broader tennis community.

What was Peyton Stearns’ ex-coach’s reaction to these complaints against him?

The spotlight around Peyton Stearns’ coaching situation has intensified after reports surfaced of complaints against her former coach, Rafael Font de Mora. As the WTA continues to examine allegations tied to his past conduct on tour, Font de Mora has firmly pushed back against the accusations.

The Spanish coach, who recently parted ways with Stearns, had previously responded to questions via email and dismissed the claims outright. “Your questions are statements that are not true,” Font de Mora said. “I coordinate my training and sprints with professional trainers and biomechanist(s) and I am a very positive coach.”

Font de Mora also suggested that people close to the player could better describe his approach. He recommended reaching out to Stearns herself as well as her trainer, Kathryn Whartenby, saying they could provide “an exact idea” of how he works with athletes. The 57-year-old further claimed that he had not even been informed that any complaints had been formally filed with the WTA. Did this controversy force Stearns to part ways with the coach? We don’t know yet.

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Before the split, Peyton Stearns had spoken positively about the influence Font de Mora had on her mindset on court. Reflecting on his philosophy, the American highlighted his focus on controlling what players can manage during matches.

“One thing he’s been big on is, you know, what can you control?” Stearns previously said. “You know, I can’t control the wind today, so what are you going to do? What can you control about it? You can control your attitude, you can control your emotions, you can control how intense your feet are.”

She explained that the message helped her shift her perspective during matches. “That’s been huge because it’s not about the results,” Stearns added, emphasizing that the coach encouraged players to focus on effort, intensity, and emotional control rather than outcomes.

However, later on, when she was asked more recently about the controversy surrounding Font de Mora and whether she knew about his history on the tour, Stearns chose not to elaborate. “Yeah, I mean, it’s been around,” she said. “But, I think right now, just not really going to dive into that; no comment.”

Font de Mora, originally from Valencia, competed briefly on the professional circuit between 1985 and 1988 before moving into coaching and tennis development. Over the decades, he has built training programs across multiple countries and worked with a range of junior and professional players. Yet as the WTA continues to keep safeguarding investigations confidential, the debate surrounding his return to the tour, and the complaints filed against him, remains a developing story within the sport. What are your thoughts on this controversy?