CoCo Vandeweghe Sent Message to Aryna Sabalenka on Iga Swiatek Overtaking

In a striking commentary on the current landscape of women’s tennis, CoCo Vandeweghe has stepped into the spotlight, firmly stating that Aryna Sabalenka is emerging as the leading contender on the tour. The former two-time Grand Slam semifinalist cautions the 26-year-old Belarusian that with her ascent to the world No. 1 ranking, she now finds herself in the precarious position of being “the hunted.”

Sabalenka’s performances over the past few months have been nothing short of sensational. Claiming victory at the US Open, alongside triumphs at the WTA 1000 events in Cincinnati and Wuhan, she has wreaked havoc on her rivals. Her only setback in this formidable stretch was a quarterfinal loss to Karolina Muchova in Beijing, a minor blemish on an otherwise stunning run. While Sabalenka was busy adding titles to her name, Iga Swiatek, the previous world No. 1, has faced a challenging summer, including firing her long-time coach and skipping the entire Asian swing of the tour.

Sabalenka has been steadily melting away Swiatek’s lead, and as of Monday, the Belarusian has reclaimed her spot at the pinnacle of women’s tennis. “The momentum is definitely on her side. Coming off her US Open victory, Sabalenka has had limited play since, unlike others who are scrambling to regain their footing. It’s a fresh dynamic; now Aryna carries the target that Iga once bore, and the question is how she’ll handle that pressure,” Vandeweghe discussed on Tennis Channel’s Inside-In podcast. For an extended period.