"With my favourite Jessica Pegula" - Victoria Azarenka reunites with American for final pre-season drill ahead of 2024 season
Jessica Pegula and former World No. 1 Victoria Azarenka recently had their final training session together ahead of the 2024 season.
Pegula had a decent season in 2023, winning two singles titles - a WTA 1000 title at the Canadian Open and a WTA 250 at the Korea Open. She also lifted two doubles trophies, at Qatar and Miami. The American finished the year as the World No. 5.
Azarenka's season was less successful than Pegula's, as she did not win any singles titles. Her sole trophy of the year came at the Madrid Open in doubles, where she defeated the duo of Coco Gauff and Pegula while teaming up with Beatriz Haddad Maia.
Jessica Pegula and Victoria Azarenka will both be looking to make an impact in the upcoming season, and they practiced together for the final time in 2023 to hone their skills.
The Belarusian took to X (formerly Twitter) to share their picture, writing:
"Last practice of the pre season with my favorite @JPegula."
Pegula will kick off her 2024 campaign at the United Cup, hoping to lead Team USA to title-winning glory for the second year in a row. Meanwhile, Azarenka will compete in the Brisbane International alongside Naomi Osaka, Elena Rybakina, Aryna Sabalenka, and others.
"Jessica Pegula is a great friend of mine, I absolutely adore her" - Victoria Azarenka
Jessica Pegula and Victoria Azarenka have met each other five times on the WTA Tour so far, with their head-to-head record standing at 3-2 in Azarenka's favor. Their most recent encounter came at the 2023 Australian Open, where the Belarusian beat the American in the quarterfinals.
Ahead of their Melbourne Slam fixture, the two-time Grand Slam champion said Pegula is a great friend of hers and that she "adores" the World No. 5.
"I mean, she's amazing player. Her stability and consistency throughout I wouldn't only say last year, I would say the years before that. She's been an incredible player," Azarenka told the press in January this year.
"She's a great friend of mine. I absolutely adore her. We have really tough battles every single time. We practice with each other," she continued.
Victoria Azarenka also said that Jessica Pegula's game is simple and consistent and that she sees similarities between the American and former World No.1 Ashleigh Barty.
"I will say she plays quite simple, which is I would say is a compliment," Azarenka said. "It's quite easy to be flashy. Not easy, but it's easier to just go overboard. But to have that consistency and simplicity."
"A player of different style, but Ash Barty is one of the people, she just did certain things so well and over and over and over again. I feel like Jess has in her way, in her style, kind of similarity," the 34-year-old added.