Aryna Sabalenka might have won the 2024 US Open, but that doesn't mean everything leading up to that event was smooth sailing because it wasn't.
Sabalenka found a really inspiring level at the Cincinnati Open, where she bested everybody en route to the trophy at the WTA 1000 event. Winning that trophy might have, in many ways, proven to be very crucial for her US Open because she was able to arrive in New York with a lot of confidence.
That confidence also allowed her to continue playing at a very high level, and she once again completely outplayed everybody en route to the trophy. Winning the 2024 US Open will certainly be remembered as a huge moment for Sabalenka because she finally won a Grand Slam away from Melbourne, where she did it the first and the second time.
It's also a place where she failed in the final a year prior, so winning the New York Slam was hugely significant for her career. It was the third time she's won a major, as well, and that's another notable moment for the Belarusian.
Being able to win it certainly improved her overall outlook on the season, even though her summer was terrible until then. Sabalenka suffered a shocking loss to Mirra Andreeva at Roland Garros because it was a match she could have won if she hadn't been feeling as badly as she was physically.
The physical issues didn’t improve much later on, as she suffered a shoulder injury leading up to Wimbledon, which caused her to miss Wimbledon. The Olympics were never a goal for her because she didn't play at the Games, but when she arrived at the Citi Open in Washington, she was still dealing with a shoulder injury.
She felt soreness after her first matches in Washington, so it was a challenging time for Sabalenka. The way it looks now, in retrospect, is amazing because she won in Cincinnati and the US Open, but the situation looked much bleaker before that.
"It was a disaster for me. I felt like, because I didn’t stop when I had to, I got to the point when I got injured. I thought the only way to get through a difficult challenge was just to work through it, keep focusing on my job. It was too much stress on myself without realizing that."
Many things were going on because Sabalenka dealt with the physical issues. There were also things happening in the background that she didn't want to go into that much, but it wasn't the best of times for her.
Even zoomed out more, it didn't look as great because while she was reaching the finals (Rome and Madrid), she didn't win them. That type of frustration builds up over time, leaving a mark on athletes.
Now, she's in a position to challenge for the World No. 1 position and finish the season strongly. If she can do that, she'll arrive in Melbourne with a firm chance of making it three in a row.
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