Aryna Sabalenka lost to Caroline Garcia in the WTA Finals, but she accepted her defeat, believing that being a good person is more important.
Sabalenka had an opportunity to turn her 2022 season into a success after a mixed year before the WTA Finals. The Belarusian deserves credit for her consistency, including reaching finals at the Stuttgart Open and Rosmalen Open.
However, Sabalenka did not win a title this year and reached one Grand Slam semifinal at the US Open. She possesses a formidable and powerful game but struggled to assemble it when it was most needed in 2022.
Last year's Wimbledon semifinalist had a chance to win the most significant title of her career at the WTA Finals after defeating world No. 1 Iga Swiatek in the semifinal, who was slightly relieved her season ended after a grueling year.
Unfortunately for Sabalenka, she lost a tight match dominated by serve against Garcia. The Frenchwoman prevailed 6-7, 4-6 to win the WTA Finals, taking the only break point of the contest in the second set, which proved decisive.
Sabalenka spoke very impressively after such a tough loss. The 24-year-old said she accepts defeats better than in the past and has become a better person, something she considers more important than winning matches.
"I learned how to lose this season. Before I used to be super aggressive after tough losses and now I can accept the loss. I think for me that's really important because it's not only about tennis. It's also about being a good person. I feel like I'm becoming a better person and this is the most important thing."
"I can lose, I can learn, and I can move on and keep working. Before [after losses], I was out for the week. I was practicing, but I wasn’t there because I was thinking a lot about the last match. Basically, I’m getting more professional."
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