Aryna Sabalenka discussed the need to express her emotions during matches on a recent episode of Andy Roddick's podcast.
Sabalenka is undoubtedly one of the most gracious losers on the WTA Tour. She always congratulates her opponents at the net and does not speak bitterly after defeats.
Serena Williams' former coach, Rennae Stubbs, recently compared Sabalenka to Qinwen Zheng, who does not take defeats as well. The Australian doubts that Zheng will learn to be gracious like Sabalenka.
However, Sabalenka, who used to be told she was not talented due to her hard-hitting style, can sometimes get emotional during matches despite always being gracious afterward. She does not hide her frustrations in challenging moments.
It can appear worrying at first when Sabalenka gets angry and shouts at her team. Such actions are often associated with not being as mentally strong as players who remain calm during matches.
But Sabalenka rejects that assumption. Speaking on Served With Andy Roddick, she agreed with the host, who also believes showing emotions on the court should not automatically be equated with a lack of mental strength.
"I absolutely agree with you that calmness does not show mental toughness. For some people it works. It's not like there's just one way. Some people, that's just the way they are. They hold everything inside."
Sabalenka said trying to bottle her emotions in the heat of battle does not work, and she learned that is not who she is.
"For me personally, I don't know, for many years I was trying to figure my emotions, everyone would tell me I have to keep it inside, I have to stay calm, I have to be like that player, like a no-emotions player, but this is not who I am."
This year's WTA year-end No. 1 is aware of humorous videos existing online of her getting angry on the court, but the three-time Grand Slam champion knows she becomes internally crazy when trying to be calm.
"And we spoke with the team and that's why sometimes you see those funny videos of me yelling at my team, throwing the racket at the US Open, which I didn't actually throw. I was trying to pass the racket to my coach, but whatever."
"And we have these emotional moments, and it works for me, because for me, if I hold it all inside, I get too crazy and it's so much of heaviness inside. I cannot think clean."
Sabalenka is correct that various approaches are needed depending on the player. On the ATP Tour, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray are two of the strongest mental players in tennis history, and they regularly had outbursts and showed emotions on the court.
By contrast, players like Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Sabalenka's rival Iga Swiatek are much calmer. The results of those tennis legends prove either approach can work.
The differences in playing styles and temperaments in Sabalenka and Swiatek's matches are part of what makes their rivalry so exciting and why women's tennis has many exciting years ahead.
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