By Chris Oddo | November 8, 2018
Victoria Azarenka and former coach Wim Fissette have begun working together ahead of the 2019 season.
Photo Source: Wim Fissette
Victoria Azarenka is reconnecting with an old coach.
The Belarusian has been working with Wim Fissette, the coach who helped guide Azarenka back to the top of the game starting in February 2015 and through 2016 until she left the sport to go on maternity leave.
During that time Azarenka, who stepped in after Azarenka parted ways with Sam Sumyk, climbed from outside the Top 40 and back inside the WTA’s Top 5.
During that phase, Azarenka reached the quarterfinals of three straight majors and won the Sunshine Double in 2016, defeating then No.1 Serena Williams in the Indian Wells final and Svetlana Kuznetsova for the Miami Open title.
The news was originally reported by Tennis.Life, and on Wednesday images surfaced on Twitter that showed the pair working together at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida this week.
Fissette recently became available when he parted ways with Angelique Kerber just prior to the WTA Finals in Singapore.
Fissette has had a noteworthy coaching career that includes highly successful stints with Kim Clijsters, Sabine Lisicki, Simona Halep, Azarenka, Johanna Konta and Kerber.
He guided Clijsters to three major titles and Kerber to this year’s Wimbledon title. He also helped Halep reach her first major final, oversaw Konta as she made her best Wimbledon performance and guided Lisicki to her only major final at Wimbledon in 2013.
The 38-year-old Belgian and Azarenka have not made any official announcement about the partnership yet.
Azarenka finishes the season at 17-12 in a season that was cut short due to her custody battle over her son Leo, particularly earlier in the season.
She will turn 30 next July.
The potential high-profile hiring is a sign that Azarenka is ready to take a big step in commitment in 2019.