Dominic Thiem has dumped 1995 French Open champion and former world number one Thomas Muster as an adviser just weeks after hiring him, but insisted Monday "nothing bad happened".
The world number five, who is chasing a maiden Grand Slam breakthrough at the Australian Open, brought Muster on board this month after he served as captain of the Austrian team at the inaugural ATP Cup.
He was due to make himself available for 20 weeks this year, working alongside Thiem's coach Nicolas Massu.
"Well, nothing bad happened there. But we already said before we started the relationship that if it doesn't work out, we're gonna stop it, and that was the case," Thiem said after moving into the Australian Open quarter-finals.
"I mean, I think it's always difficult, especially for me at the stage where I am, to find something perfect to add to my team.
"And I just had the feeling that it's not going to work out together, and that's why we finished. So that's all."
Muster cryptically told Eurosport in an interview: "It is like this: There are houses which look nice from the outside, wonderful from the outside, but you rarely know who lives inside.
"He (Thiem) has improved a lot, but he has to catch up in the technical, physical and foremost in the mental area," he added.
"To be honest I have seen myself in this role for the next two years. Why he has chosen differently -- I know why, but I don't want to say the details.
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