“She’s now the target” WTA star sends clear warning to Aryna Sabalenka after return to World No. 1
Coco Vandeweghe has warned Aryna Sabalenka that she will be the main target of every player, including Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula.
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Aryna Sabalenka and CoCo Vandeweghe (via Tennis Gazette/US Open)
Aryna Sabalenka capped off a fine end-of-the-year run by overtaking Iga Swiatek, becoming World No. 1 for the first time this year. The Belarusian has revealed that her goal is to be in the position by the end of the season. However, WTA star CoCo Vandeweghe has sent a clear warning to her about her ambition.
Sabalenka began the year reaching the final of the Brisbane International and winning the Australian Open. But after that, she struggled to find her game rhythm. She eventually dropped from World No. 2 to No. 3 after withdrawing from Wimbledon due to a shoulder injury. It was in August that she found her form and dominated the women’s singles.
She claimed the Cincinnati Open after beating Jessica Pegula in a straight set in the final. She then won her third career Grand Slam in September after beating Pegula again. Sabalenka reached the quarterfinals of the China Open and bounced back to win the Wuhan Open for the third consecutive time. She overtook Swiatek in the WTA rankings this week.
However, Coco Vandeweghe has warned her that she will be the main target of every player. She added that every player will want to beat her, especially at the biggest stages.
Aryna is now the target. The question is: what is she going to do with this big target on her back? For so long, it was Iga Swiatek who had this big target on her back and everyone was chasing her to take the top spot in the rankings, to beat her on the biggest stages. Now Sabalenka is going to have that mantle, and what is she going to do with it? Can she keep it? Can she rise to the occasion?
CoCo Vandeweghe said via Tennis Channel’s Inside-In podcast
For Sabalenka to be year-end World No. 1, she will have to win the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The season finale tournament gets underway on November 2 through to 9.
Coco Vandeweghe names two players who will aim to beat Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka has been the WTA’s best player in the last three months. With momentum on her side, she’s the favorite to clinch the next tournament that she competes in. However, CoCo Vandeweghe has revealed the list of players who will be aiming to beat Sabalenka at the WTA Finals in November.
Iga Swiatek and Jessica Pegula are the two players on Vandeweghe’s list. She revealed that the two WTA stars have tested terrible defeats against Sabalenka, which left a sour taste, and will be aiming to bear the World No. 1.
Where you see people playing that are trying to get some momentum back, I’m going to drop Iga in that list, I’m going to drop Jessie Pegula in that list – even though Jessie made the finals [of the US Open]. Because they have a sour taste in their mouth from a loss that they think maybe they shouldn’t have had.
CoCo Vandeweghe said
Sabalenka defeated Swiatek and Pegula in Cincinnati before beating the latter again at the US Open. Swiatek didn’t compete in the Asian swing as she focused on building back her coaching team. She will be aiming to retain the WTA Finals title.
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Victor Okechukwu
(692 Articles Published)