Aryna Sabalenka was once a prolific doubles operator but explained her reasons on why she decided to focus solely on her singles career in 2023.
The Belarusian has enjoyed her career-best season on Tour this year, rising to number two in the rankings and keeping Iga Swiatek on her toes in the race for the coveted top spot. Sabalenka won her maiden Grand Slam singles title at this year's Australian Open, in addition to the prestigious WTA 1000 in Madrid.
While Sabalenka acknowledged the drastic improvements she has undertaken behind the scenes for her explosive first half of the season, she's also explained why cutting down doubles has been just as important. She goes ahead and talks about the distraction that sometimes engulfs players balancing both sides.
Sabalenka has played just one doubles tournament this season, which was during the opening week in Adelaide. Physically, playing singles and doubles simultaneously can become a burden and this could lead to unnecessary injuries, according to the 25-year-old.
"It's really difficult, again, for me, it worked well, but my singles wasn't that good in that period I played doubles because if you wanna play good in doubles you also spend a lot of energy there and it's a different energy and I would say sometimes it's even more intense there."
"You are spending so much energy and you have to be really physically strong, mentally really tough and you are like not distracted by doubles or singles, because you can lose the match in doubles and you are still sad and that, and the next day you are playing singles, you have to switch these emotions."
Sabalenka says it's possible to become proficient in both, highlighting her massive respect for what Coco Gauff and Jessica Pegula are doing at the moment, but maintains it only worsens your body.
"For me, it was really tough I had to decide for myself, you have to pick one, you can't be the best in each. Probably you can, but I feel you are getting more injured because it's still so much energy. I respect Pegula and Gauff they're doing good in both. But I think that to get to the next step in singles, you have to cut doubles, a little bit."
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