Aryna Sabalenka, the current “Hardcourt Queen” from Belarus, battled her way through seven matches to victory during the U.S. Open Championship. She faced tough opponents, including Olympic gold medalist Qinwen Zheng in the quarterfinal, rising star Emma Navarro in the semi-final, and American hopeful Jessica Pegula in the final. After her loss to Coco Gauff in three sets in the 2023 U.S. Open Final, Sabalenka stayed determined to be back to take the trophy. She trained her body, mind, and technique to get back to New York City and turned her dream into reality.
Own Your Power
Sabalenka plays with a distinct and nearly unbeatable power. At this U.S. Open, her average forehand topspin speeds were faster than every other woman and man at the tournament. She has grown to embrace her strength without holding back. In the press conference following her victory, she said, “I know that I have to go for it. That’s the only way it works for me, because every time I’m trying to play safer...I stop my arms, and the ball flies in the stands.” She knows that her strength is an asset. “In those important moments, I just have to go for it. I have to swing,” Sabalenka said.
Over her career, she’s also grown to honor her strong emotions and use them to her advantage. She’s found a way to focus without diluting her authenticity. A tiger tattoo on her arm represents her birth year, and her powerful and courageous spirit that we see every time she steps on the court. “Sometimes I need to remind myself that I am the tigress and I need to fight till the end. I just put it on my arm to make sure I can see it every time and be on fire,” Sabalenka told the AFP.
Advocate for Your Evolution
Sabalenka is in constant evolution on and off the court. She’s grown in handling her emotions in a way that fuels her competition and embraced coaching that changed technical aspects in her serve. She’s added variety that keeps her opponents guessing, complimenting her power and allowing her strengths to shine.
She spoke on this range in her press conference after the win, saying, “I’m really glad that I’m brave enough to use these tools in those key moments. I think that’s really important to always improve yourself. I feel I put even more pressure on the opponents when they see I’m not only a hard hitter, I can also play with some touch. So we always work on those assets of my game.”
“Never give up on your dream. Keep trying, keep working hard. If you’re really working hard and you’re sacrificing everything for your dream, you’re going to get it one day.”
At different points in her career, Sabalenka has added a sport psychologist and a biomechanics coach to her team, proactively advocating for her own needs on her journey. This has helped Sabalenka build an unstoppable skill set that's grounded in a focused mind. “I worked really hard on my mindset in matches. I think I made a really huge improvement on that calmness in those crucial moments,” she told the US Open. “Even if things are not working well for me, I still keep doing the right things and I’m staying in control. I’m actually really proud of myself that I was able to get to the point when I’m in control of my emotions.”
She also found success through honoring her rest. Earlier this year while she was injured, Sabalenka used the time to rehabilitate and recharge her mind. Choosing not to compete in the Olympics, she prioritized her mental and physical health by taking time off. "Just that little moment with myself really helped me to be more fresh and more ready, and I felt like I was hungrier than ever in this summer," Sabalenka told ESPN. That hunger, combined with a rested body, has been evident this summer with Sabalenka’s 16-2 hardcourt record.
Let the Pressure Fuel You
It’s been a difficult year for Sabalenka. As she continued mourning the death of her father, her former partner passed away in March. She then experienced a difficult stomach virus at French Open and a shoulder injury that required her withdrawal at Wimbledon. One obstacle and grief after another, Sabalenka was forced to rise through hardship.
She also used her loss last year in the US Open Final as fuel for her wins this year at Arthur Ashe Stadium. She said in the post-match press conference that she reminded herself of her ability to overcome difficulty. "[I was] trying to stay strong and trying to remind myself that I have been through a lot and I'm strong enough to hold under this pressure," she said.
Sabalenka spoke about her journey of working towards her dream. “I remember all those tough losses in the past here…Never give up on your dream. Keep trying, keep working hard. If you’re really working hard and you’re sacrificing everything for your dream, you’re going to get it one day,” she said. This is a message that you, no matter your age or competition level, can remind yourself of when you’re going through tough times.
