Aryna Sabalenka looked desperate last year because of her serving woes; however, things look much better this year.
The story of Aryna Sabalenka is a rather interesting one. She emerged as a player with great potential, considering the raw power she produced both with her serve and in rallies. She played bully tennis, much like Serena Williams, to whom she was compared a few times.
The serve always looked like the key for Sabalenka because it is a shot that can make or break you on the WTA Tour. The serves are generally weaker and slower on the women's side of the sport, which is why we see so many breaks.
A lot of players like to play attacking tennis, and if your serve is not strong, you're an easy target. Sabalenka wasn't, but she made herself one due to her serving woes, which culminated last year. She struggles greatly with control, committing too many double faults.
Last year, in 57 matches, Sabalenka totalled 428 double faults, far more than any other top player on the Tour. It needed to be fixed, and it got fixed. Sabalenke worked with a biomechanics coach to deconstruct her serve and saw tremendous improvement this year. It proved the missing link in her career.
Her powerful tennis from the baseline was now boosted with a strong serve she could control. It unlocked her game resulting in a sudden rise starting at the Australian Open where she won her maiden Grand Slam trophy.
She continued playing well throughout the year, eventually becoming world number one, which was her long-time dream. The stats back it up. In 61 matches, which is more than last year, Sabalenka has 192 double faults, which is a huge difference compared to last year. The hope is that she can become even better so we'll see.
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