Azarenka to team up with Sharapova's former coach Joyce

Victoria Azarenka has added a familiar name to her team as she prepares to return from the birth of her first child.

Michael Joyce has worked with a number of WTA players, most recently Jessica Pegula, but most notably, Maria Sharapova.

Joyce coached the Russian very early in her career, beginning when she was just 17 and lasting from 2004 to 2011.

"Maria was so young when we started," Joyce said at the US Open in 2015. "I like working with them when they’re young because they can still improve a lot. Some of the players that are already at the top, you’re just kind of trying to maintain what they have..."

Despite those past thoughts, Joyce is embarking on a new chapter of 27-year-old Azarenka's career. They seem to be off to a friendly start.

In the past, the former No. 1 has worked with Wim Fisette (Simona Halep's previous coach) and Sam Sumyk (who's now working with Garbine Muguruza). Azarenka has clearly been a key in plenty of WTA coaching changes, even when it comes to hitting partners. She began traveling with Serena Williams' former hitting partner Sascha Bajin in 2015. Bajin has since joined Caroline Wozniacki's camp.

Azarenka won both Indian Wells and Miami last year, before stepping away to give birth in December.

While she hasn't set an official return date, adding a coach to her new team is a great sign.