article_snippet: (CNN)In tennis, a hitting partner is someone who often does more than just practice with a big star.
article_snippet: Two years ago, for example, the father of Bernard Tomic, one of the most hyped players in the last decade, was found guilty of assaulting the player's former hitting partner, Thomas Drouet.
article_snippet: To give just a very good tennis player the best rhythm is extremely important.
article_snippet: there is someone else in the team with experience winning grand slams.
article_snippet: Serena Williams's much more than a hitting partner.
article_snippet: Vika is very motivated to get back to the top and wants to become a better player.
article_snippet: I believe it's also great for women's tennis that Vika is back.