Aryna Sabalenka is a successful tennis player, but she, too, is a human being with her personal life that has to deal with all sorts of problems and challenges.
The Belarusian is currently ranked third on the WTA Tour, and she has been dealing with form issues on the tennis court. However, ahead of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, Sabalenka said it was good to have a short memory in tennis, which helps her to forget past disappointments.
Apart from having a short memory, the 26-year-old has learned many more lessons in the world of tennis since she had her breakthrough back in 2018, still only as a 20-year-old player.
Coming to tennis, Sabalenka didn't know what to expect, and when she was first entering the sport, she was told that no one is friendly on the WTA Tour, or in women's sports in general, so she tried to be really protective.
"As a young player coming up on the tour, you’re still learning, you’re trying to figure out what’s going on. What you hear about the tour is that nobody’s friendly, that everyone is tricky and there’s no friendship in the women’s sport. That’s all you hear."
"When you’re coming inside this community, you’re just trying to be protective. You’re so focused on you. You are kind of afraid to open up. With the years, you realize that this is not how it works."
As they years went by, Sabalenka realized that it is possible to form friendships on the WTA Tour, in her case, with Paula Badosa, who she has been friends with for quite a while now.
"Of course, there are going to be girls who act that way. Of course, there are girls who are the same way you are and you can be friends with them. It all comes with experience."
"Right now, I feel a little bit looser about that stuff. I feel like if I’m ready to play, nothing can get me distracted by being friends with your rivals, with other players. It’s not going to damage your tennis. As soon as I realized that, it got easier, more friendly, more fun."
Apart from the life on the Tour, Sabalenka also has her private life, like any other human being, and that presents its own challenges, completely detached from the world of tennis.
Still, tennis comes in handy for her. The Belarusian player tries to use the sport as a distraction to keep her away from the challenges that life presents to her.
"I think it’s really good that I have tennis, I have something to keep me distracted, keep me away from all those tough challenges in life. Also having really great people around whom you can trust, talk openly, just be you and talk through everything you’re going through, that’s really important. It’s helpful for just staying positive and keep focusing on your dreams and your goals in life."
Speaking ahead of the 2024 Cincinnati Open, she was asked whether it was time to make the next step, as she reached the semi-final stage three times, but never made it to the final.
Sabalenka played in the Cincinnati Open semi-finals in 2018, 2022, and 2023, but she was always stopped in the last four stage. This year, she aims to change that.
"That’s a good question. As you see, I’m kind of trying to figure out what I need to do to get to the final here. But I don’t want to focus on that. I want to focus step by step and make sure every time I’m on the court I bring my best tennis. If I’m able to do that in a semifinal, I’ll be able to get to the final."