"Everyone is looking to take Aryna Sabalenka out" - Coco Vandeweghe analyzes "big task" for Belarusian in 2024 to match last season's performance

2018 US Open doubles champion Coco Vandeweghe recently spoke about the challenging task ahead for Aryna Sabalenka to match her previous season's performance.

Vandeweghe retired from professional tennis in August 2023. During her career, she peaked at No. 9 on the WTA singles rankings and No. 14 in the doubles category. Her biggest career achievement was winning the 2018 US Open women's doubles trophy along with Ashleigh Barty.

In a recent episode of the Tennis Channel Live podcast, the American discussed Sabalenka's upcoming season and stated that the Belarusian will face many challenges in replicating her outstanding 2023 season.

"I think this is going to be a big task for Aryna to see how she matches the great season she had last year. It's always difficult to follow up those big results," Coco Vandeweghe said (19:57)

She spoke about the difficulty of defending points as a top player. She added that Sabalenka will have a constant target on her back, as everyone seeks ways to surpass her.

"It's never easy, always defending points. You're constantly facing a big target on your back, and it's always difficult as a top player—the top seed leading tournaments. Everyone is looking to take you out, but I'm excited to see what she brings out in this 2024 season," Coco Vandeweghe said. (20:03)

How did Aryna Sabalenka perform in January 2023?

2023 Australian Open - Aryna Sabalenka is the Australian Open defending champion

January 2023 was a memorable month for the 25-year-old. She won all 11 of her matches, securing the Adelaide International 1 and the Australian Open.

At the Adelaide International 1, she defeated Liudmila Samsonova, Markéta Vondroušová, and Irina-Camelia Begu en route to the final. She then faced off against Linda Nosková in the final, beating her in two sets.

At the Australian Open, Sabalenka defeated Tereza Martincová, Shelby Rogers, Elise Mertens, and Belinda Bencic in the first, second, third, and fourth rounds, respectively. She also secured victories against Donna Vekić in the quarterfinals and Magda Linette in the semifinals. Aryna Sabalenka then clincher her maiden Grand Slam title by defeating Elena Rybakina in the final.

The Belarusian kicked off her 2024 season as the top seed at the Brisbane International. She won her first match of the season by defeating Italy's Lucia Bronzetti, 6-3, 6-0 in the second round of the Brisbane International.

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The British culture and strict uniformity at the Wimbledon Championships make the event his favorite on the tennis calendar. Outside of tennis, Joseph passionately supports Manchester United and considers Lionel Messi the greatest sportsman of all time. In his leisure time, he enjoys expanding his horizons with documentaries, particularly those focusing on politics.

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Edited by Siddharth Dhananjay