Stuttgart, Germany, 10 July 2011 | AFP

World No.7 Gael Monfils said on Saturday that he was splitting from his Australian coach Roger Rasheed.

The two have worked together since July 2008 since when the 24-year-old Frenchman has establised himself as a top ten player, reaching the semi-finals of the US Open last year and the quarter-finals of this year’s French Open.

“We decided to stop our collaboration by mutual agreement,” said Monfils after helping France into the semi-finals of the Davis Cup with a comfortable victory over Germany.

“We had reached the end of a great story. I owe him a lot, I learned a lot with him.

“It went very well. We talked, we had a good discussion. We’re still very good friends.”

Rasheed, the man who looked after Leyton Hewitt for four years, said on Twitter: “After three years, Gael and I think that the time has come for us to separate.”

“I enjoyed the challenge and I wish Gael the best.”

Monfils will now work with Patrick Chamagne who has already been working as his fitness instructor.