World number two Novak Djokovic said Andre Agassi will be his new coach after the Serb lost in the Italian Open final to Alexander Zverev.
The 12-time Grand Slam winner parted company with his entire coaching team earlier in May.
Former world number one Agassi will be with Djokovic in Paris for the French Open, which starts on 28 May.
The news was confirmed after German Zverev, 20, stunned Djokovic 6-4 6-3 to win in Rome.
In the women’s event, Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina triumphed with a 4-6 7-5 6-1 win over Romania’s Simona Halep.
Djokovic had said the “shock therapy” of splitting with his backroom team, including Marian Vajda – who has been with him through almost all of his career – would help achieve better results.
Boris Becker, a six-time Grand Slam winner, left in December after three years as the 29-year-old’s main coach.
Now he has brought in American Agassi, who retired in 2006 after a career which yielded eight Grand Slam titles wins.
“I spoke to Andre the last couple weeks on the phone, and we decided to get together in Paris. So he’s going to be there,” said Djokovic.
“We’ll see what the future brings. We are both excited to work together and see where it takes us.
“We don’t have any long-term commitment. It’s just us trying to get to know each other in Paris a little bit.”
At 20 years and one month, Zverev is the youngest Masters event champion since Djokovic himself won the 2007 Miami Open.
Fearless Zverev, currently ranked 17 in the world but now set to move into the top 10, dominated from the start.
He did not face a break point and broke the 12-time major winner in the first game and twice in the second set.
Djokovic received a code violation for an audible obscenity in the seventh game of the second set, and later double-faulted to hand Zverev match point.
A long backhand by the Serb, who will celebrate his 30th birthday on Monday, subsequently ensured victory to his highly-rated opponent.
Djokovic’s semi-final win over Dominic Thiem had hinted he was close to recovering his best form after a poor year, culminating in the departure of his entire coaching staff earlier this month.
But Zverev was composed throughout and won in one hour and 21 minutes.
“It’s such an honour being on the court against one of the best ever players,” said Zverev after his victory. If I have half the career Novak has had, I will be just fine.”
Referring to the French Open, the second Grand Slam of the year, which begins on 28 May, he added: “I’m sure he will be one of the favourites in Paris.”
Djokovic will need to raise his game having hit 27 unforced errors to his opponent’s 14, but hinted at a big future for the German.
“You are definitely on a great path. You played fantastic and deserve it,” he said.
