Simona Halep knows she has taken a "risk" to start the season without a coach but wants to "chill" and "go with the flow" after an emotional 2018.

Halep plans to go solo for at least a few months after long-time coach Darren Cahill took a year-long hiatus for family reasons.

The world number one will start her 2019 campaign at the Sydney International after recovering from a back injury and says she is happy to go it alone - for the time being at least.

"The situation is that for the next three to four months, I don't want to take the coach," Halep told WTA Insider. "I'm not thinking about that. I just go with the flow and I'll see how it works, kind of, alone."

Halep said of Cahill's decision to take a break: "He took the decision because of the family and the family comes first always. I was not disappointed or upset, I fully understood. We have a very good relationship."

"We talk most of the days. I asked for advice and he gave it to me. We talked during the off-season as well. It's not the same of course, because he's not my coach anymore. But we are great friends and that is the most important."

"The last four years were with Darren and they were the best four years. I can say it's tough without him. I have helping me the [Romanian] Fed Cup captain [Florin Segarceanu], but he's not my coach. He just came to be around." 

Halep claimed an elusive first grand slam title at the French Open last year after losing the Australian Open final and finished the season at the top of the rankings for the second successive year, exploits which took a toll.

She added: "I just want to chill. I had enough pressure, I had enough tension during these years. Now I feel like I don't want to commit to anyone because when you take a coach you have to commit to that person and you want to do the best for him and the team."

"So I need to be chilled for a few months, a few weeks, because last year was a tough year, emotional stuff. I feel better if I stay like this. It''s my decision and I don't know if it's the best, but I took the risk to do that."