London: He's the esteemed Australian tennis brain plotting Ashleigh Barty's Wimbledon demise.
And Craig O'Shannessy, the chief strategist for world No.1 Novak Djokovic, makes no apologies after being commissioned to help devise a game plan for American Alison Riske to bring down Barty in the fourth round on Monday night.
Australian Craig O'Shannessy, left, has been working with Novak Djokovic for two-and-a-half years.
"I don't work for Tennis Australia," O'Shannessy told AAP on Sunday.
"Tennis is a global game. I have no allegiances."
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O'Shannessy, also the ATP's and Wimbledon's chief tournament analyst, has been working with Djokovic for the past two-and-a-half years, having previously assisted several other grand slam heavyweights.
Now he's in Riske's camp after being approached by the world No.55's coach Billy Heiser.
"I've known Craig for a long time. I've always liked what he's done," Heiser said.
"I know he's working with Novak and I just asked if he'd be willing to sit down and go over some things.
"And he went over some things for one of our other matches and I just asked if he could go over a few things against Ash.
"I hope it disrupts some things."
Eager to gain any advantage, Heiser is confident Riske, already with a tour- best 13 grasscourt wins over the past month, can trouble Barty.
American Alison Riske will face Australia's Ashleigh Barty on Monday night.Credit:AP
"I know we're going to be prepared and I know that Ali's going to go out there and play her game and, if she can do things at a high level, I think it's going to give Ash some problems," he said.
"I think everyone knows she can play on grass and she's dangerous.
"It's not just grass either. She can play on all surfaces. It's just getting her to be more consistent week in, week out.
"She made a final on clay last year. She made a final on hard this year, so she can play on all surfaces, but grass just simplifies things for her.
"But Ash is No.1 in the world for a reason."
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