And here we go
Alycia Parks has added former Naomi Osaka coach Sascha Bajin to her coaching team for the Sunshine Double. The American tennis player has enlisted Bajin as her head coach, and he will accompany her during the Indian Wells and Miami Open tournaments.
While there hasn't been an official announcement from Parks, the American player has been spotted training with Bajin. Responding to fan inquiries on her Instagram account, Parks simply shared a photo with Bajin when asked if she was working with the German coach.
Despite demonstrating her talent on the court, Parks has struggled to maintain consistency on the WTA tour and is currently ranked outside the top 100. However, she boasts a WTA 250 Lyon Open title, where she defeated the then world No. 4, Caroline Garcia.
This year, Parks has faced early exits in seven out of eight tournaments she has participated in so far. Her notable performances include reaching the third round at the Australian Open, where she defeated Daria Snigur and the 32nd seed Leylah Fernandez before falling to the 4th seed Coco Gauff (0-6, 2-6).
Although she was unsuccessful in the Indian Wells qualifying tournament, Parks still has the doubles main draw ahead, partnering with Georgian player Oksana Kaláshnikova. They will face the partnership of Magda Lintette and Bernarda Pera in the first round.
Sascha Bajin began his career as a hitting partner for Serena Williams during several of her Grand Slam triumphs. He also served as a hitting companion for other Grand Slam champions, including Victoria Azarenka, Sloane Stephens, and Caroline Wozniacki.
Since 2017, Bajin transitioned into coaching, notably taking on the role of Naomi Osaka's coach. Under his guidance, Osaka secured her first two Grand Slam titles at the 2018 US Open and the 2019 Australian Open.
In 2018, Bajin was honoured with the WTA Coach of the Year award. However, he parted ways with Osaka shortly after her Australian Open victory. Subsequently, Bajin collaborated with tennis players such as Kristina Mladenovic, Dayana Yastremska, and the former world No. 1 Karolina Pliskova. Together with Pliskova, they reached the final of the 2021 Wimbledon Championships.
And here we go