Aryna Sabalenka notched her 14th win in a row at the 2024 China Open, and she talked about that second-best career streak after getting to it.
The Belarusian's career-best streak equals to 15 matches won in a row, and now she's only one match away from matching that. With how she's been playing recently and how high her confidence has been, it's very likely that she will match that streak and make this one her career best.
She will be facing Madison Keys in her next match, so it won't be the easiest match for her, but she's still favored to win it because she's simply the better player. Sabalenka is favored to win the event as the top seed, and if she does, she'll set a new streak, which would equal to 18 matches won in a row.
It's well deserved because her run has truly been that special, and she's been the dominant force in tennis, as that streak suggests. After notching her 14th win in a row at the China Open, Sabalenka talked about that and what she's seeing from her level.
She admitted that right now in Beijing, she might not be playing at her best level possible, but at times during this run, she certainly played some of her best tennis. After all, winning the US Open doesn't happen by chance, and she bested Jessica Pegula in the final, who has been in tremendous form herself.
"Well, maybe right now, like, I'm not playing my best, best tennis. But I think the way I'm controlling my emotions and the way I'm holding myself sometimes really helping me to stay in most of the matches, in those difficult situations to keep fighting and keep playing my best tennis. So I think, yeah, control over my emotions, that's the key."
The maturity aspect of this rise from Sabalenka is one aspect that's not discussed often. She's a very passionate player who wears her emotions on her sleeve, and maturing enough was always key for her.
She's reached a point where she's comfortable with herself, both in terms of tennis and generally. Maturing that way and learning how to control those passionate emotions helped her become the player that she is.
Not all of those matches she won went smoothly, even though most did, and learning how to rise above that was crucial for the reigning World No. 2.
She will try to keep the streak going in the coming weeks because there is a lot to play for. There are the WTA Finals; she also has the chance to become World No. 1, which she's also favored due to her recent performances, even though she said it's not something she focuses on.
"Maybe like in the past it was some sort of pressure. Nowadays, I'm not focusing on that. It's just the ranking. You can be world No. 1, and if you're not bringing your best tennis, like, you're not going to win the match. Every time you're on the court, you have to bring your best tennis. If it's not the best tennis, you have to fight for every point."
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