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Aryna Sabalenka still a work in progress ahead of Melbourne title defence
Aryna Sabalenka, at 25, is not one to rest on her laurels. Despite a hard-fought off-season, she is determined to surpass her impressive 2023 performance, starting with the defense of her Grand Slam title at the upcoming Australian Open. However, her preparation hit a setback when Elena Rybakina, her opponent in last year’s Melbourne Park final, ended her 15-match winning streak in Australia by securing a decisive 6-0, 6-3 victory in the Brisbane International final over the weekend.
Despite the disappointment, Sabalenka displayed resilience by quickly shaking off her bad day at the office. The Belarussian, who was seen scowling and shaking her head during the brief contest, soon found humor in the situation and shifted her focus to the upcoming challenge at the Australian Open. This reaction marks a significant improvement compared to Sabalenka’s demeanor just a couple of years ago. In the past, despite possessing all the necessary skills to contend for major titles, she would often crumble into a tearful mess at the first sign of adversity.
Now, with a more resilient mindset and an ability to bounce back from setbacks, Sabalenka appears poised to face the challenges of the Australian Open with a positive and determined attitude.
“After the 2022 season, I consciously decided to change my approach to tennis. I decided to adopt a more composed mindset on the court, avoiding getting overly emotional, and striving to better control myself, especially in challenging moments,” she explained in Brisbane.
“Since then, I’ve noticed that this shift in mindset has given me greater self-control and improved my overall game. I realized that there’s no need to express frustration by throwing rackets. If you miss a point, it’s okay; just move on and focus on how you can perform better in the next one.
“This mindset was instrumental in my success last season, where I reached the final at the U.S. Open and the semi-finals at both the French Open and Wimbledon. Notably, I became the first woman since Serena Williams in 2016 to reach at least the last four in all the major tournaments in a single season.
“Looking ahead, I hope to continue refining this positive and focused approach in the upcoming season.”
Her reputation as a Grand Slam underperformer was unequivocally buried last year, with notable achievements like reaching the U.S. Open final and the semi-finals at the French Open and Wimbledon. Despite a near miss on finishing the year as the world number one, a loss to Iga Swiatek in the WTA Finals in Mexico, Sabalenka acknowledges there’s still work to be done.
She candidly admits that exorcising the ghosts of last year’s French Open semi-final defeat, where she held a match point, and the Wimbledon semi-final loss despite being a set and a break up, remains a challenge. However, Sabalenka, known for the tiger tattoo on her arm, believes in the power of relentless work.
“I’m dedicating a substantial amount of effort to enhance my service. Some aspects still need improvement,” she shared. “Additionally, I’m focused on being more aggressive on the court, recognizing short approach shots, and opting to move forward rather than lingering at the baseline.
“The pre-season has involved extensive hard work. As they say, hard work pays off. I’m optimistic that it will yield positive results.”
