Victoria Azarenka to work with ex-US Open finalist at Flushing Meadows
08/10/2024 10:25 PM
Former world No. 1 Victoria Azarenka has added 1997 US Open finalist Greg Rusedski to her coaching staff for the US Open, according to James Gray of British paper i.
Azarenka, a two-time Grand Slam champion and a former world No. 1, is currently ranked at No. 19 in the world and hasn't had much success in her last couple of Major appearances.
But judging by her latest move, the 35-year-old Belarusian is still very much motivated to do well on the biggest stage and certainly hopes that a combination of Rusedski and her full-time coach Maxime Tchoutakian can lead to success at Flushing Meadows.
According to i, former world No. 4 Rusedski was already spotted with Azarenka at the WTA 1000 tournament in Toronto this week. And if their partnership during the US Open goes well, the two sides could possibly agree to make their collaboration full-time.
Azarenka had success at the US Open in the past; can she do it again?Former British No 1 Greg Rusedski is to coach Victoria Azarenka until at least the end of the US Open, I’m told. First spotted on court with the two-time grand slam champion at Wimbledon and working in Canada this week.https://t.co/p7ClJFTijI
— James Gray (@jamesgraysport) August 10, 2024
Over a decade ago, Azarenka made back-to-back US Open finals in 2012 and 2013 - both times fell just short of winning the title after losing to Serena Williams. Several years later, the Belarusian booked her third final ticket at Flushing Meadows but again failed to get over the hump after Naomi Osaka beat her in the 2020 US Open final.
Victoria Azarenka© Getty Images Sport - Al BelloIn early 2023, Azarenka reached the Australian Open semifinal. But since then, she hasn't been past the last-16 in Majors.
And while Azarenka till plays to win, she underlined earlier this year that she would never compare her current version to her past version.
“I really don’t compare myself at all. I think from the outside people probably do that much more than I do it. I would never want to go back 10 years ago. There’s just no way. I love who I am. I worked really hard to go through things in my life and to excel at them, mature, go through tough experience and learn from them, learn some wisdom. There’s no way I would want to be 22 or 23," Azarenka said in January.
Last year, Azarenka disappointingly lost in the US Open second round to Zhu Lin.
