Aryna Sabalenka had a challenging year in tennis, marking her first season since 2022 without winning a Grand Slam title. In a BBC interview after her swift exit from Wimbledon following a fourth-round defeat to Naomi Osaka, Sabalenka commented on the players who eliminated her earlier than anticipated. She diplomatically congratulated them, but added a pointed remark: “Let’s see if they can do it consistently.”
As a four-time Grand Slam champion, Sabalenka understands the demands of staying at the pinnacle of women’s tennis. The sport continuously produces new champions, requiring intense focus and dedication 11 months each year. Reaching the top is merely the beginning.
The 28-year-old Belarusian, once described as “a good world No. 1,” consistently fulfilled her performance expectations. This meant avoiding losses to lower-ranked players, reaching semifinals and finals, and winning Grand Slams. Sabalenka excelled, enhancing her powerful playing style by improving at the net and adding variety to her game.
This year, Sabalenka reached the Australian Open finals and secured victories in major tournaments like Indian Wells and Miami. Her success led to new endorsement deals with luxury brands that had previously overlooked her. She also found engagement and adopted a dog, but her dominance in tennis began to wane.
Known for being emotionally volatile on court, Sabalenka maintained impressive consistency. She aimed to become the third woman in the Open Era to win three consecutive U.S. Open titles, joining Serena Williams and Chris Evert. She set a record as the first player to reach eight consecutive Grand Slam finals on hard court during the Open Era, yet her Grand Slam finals record stands at 4-5.
By year’s end, Sabalenka will finish without a major title and lose her No. 1 ranking held since October 2024. No evident shortcomings in her game, like serving or groundstrokes, account for this shift; she simply started losing matches she typically won.
“People don’t understand how hard it is mentally and physically to keep up the level,” Sabalenka remarked on her challenges maintaining the top ranking.
After a disappointing performance on Saturday, Sabalenka looked devastated and annoyed. Failing to seize an opportunity during Rybakina’s poor serving in the first set, she never regained form. Her frustration showed as she damaged rackets and expressed aggression during the match.
Despite holding the No. 1 ranking for 99 consecutive weeks, Sabalenka now faces Elena Rybakina, set to take the top position. She humorously challenged Rybakina, saying, “Let’s see if Elena can beat me in that.”
Sabalenka struggled with exhaustion during the lengthy New York tournament. Her play appeared sluggish, unfocused, and inconsistent, primarily since March. Post-match, she provided standard responses at the news conference, eager to leave the tournament, but she brightened when discussing the crowd’s support and her tenure at No. 1.
“I think it’s an incredible achievement, and I don’t even know how many weeks I was able to be there,” Sabalenka said when informed of her 99-week reign.
Her persistence and humor remain, as reflected in her closing comment: “Ninety-nine? Well, that’s amazing,” she said, laughing.