Aryna Sabalenka can think she's the best player in the world, according to Andy Roddick, as she earned the bragging rights at the 2024 Australian Open.
The conclusion of this year's Australian Open was interesting because while neither of the outcomes were surprising, it was still kind of surprising seeing how the season's first Grand Slam unfolded.
When you look at Jannik Sinner winning the event, you kind of understand why it happened, but still not seeing Novak Djokovic lift that trophy was surprising. When you look at the women's draw and see Sabalenka lifting the trophy, you're not really surprised by it because she did it last year, but the way nobody really challenged her was surprising.
Coco Gauff was the closest one to do so, serving for the first set in their matchup, but even then, you never felt like Sabalenka lost control of the match. That's why Roddick argued in his column for Betway that Sabalenka is arguably the best player in the world and that she has every right to see herself that way.
Her Australian Open title run was superbly dominant, worthy of the best in the world.
"The physical attributes have been there from the word go, so credit to her for working through those issues, because this was comprehensive. I hope it’s as gratifying to her as everyone else feels it should be."
The Belarusian has been the most consistent tennis player at her level in the past two years, and even though she's "only" the world no. 2 at the moment, her Grand Slam results paint a different story.
"She’s now made the semis or better in the last six majors, and I don’t know that any of us dummies would have looked at her two years ago and said that she was going to be the most consistent player on Earth. She has every right to think that she’s the best player in the world right now."