Aryna Sabalenka: Tennis Profile | Playing Style | Game Overview

Belarus has been put on the international tennis map courtesy of Victoria Azarenka (32). However, the Eastern European country has witnessed a new sensation now. 

Aryna Sabalenka (23) has steadily moved up the WTA rankings. Currently, at the number 2 spot, the youngster represents the future of first-strike tennis. 

SportCo scrutinizes Sabalenka’s strengths and weaknesses, performance on the court, and how she systematically breaks down opponents with her aggression. 

 Aryna Sabalenka: Apprehending her big-hitting

“Destruction can be beautiful”. This is the perfect description for Sabalenka’s game. Interestingly, she has balanced both her singles and doubles schedule effectively. 

The Belarusian also won the Australian Open doubles title this year with Elise Mertens. However, her massive rise up the charts has been due to her preference for singles. She split with the Belgian after February 2021.  

One of the biggest positives of Aryna’s game is her powerful forehand. With a clever mix of accuracy and topspin, the Belarusian can dismantle rivals with her fierce hitting. 

“So I hope someday I will win in two sets and I will be really calm on the court, probably this is why I always play three sets because I start to think, no, no, no, I have to win this set, this game, this point, and probably this way, I cannot do this in two sets, but hope sometimes in one day it’s come,” reflected Aryna Sabalenka during the Cincinnati Open 2018. 

Court coverage is a key factor behind Sabalenka's victories. When her legs move the right way, the Belarusian star has the final say in the rallies. However, on hard courts, the World number 2 must watch out for her each step. She can suffer an odd fall on the turf and injure her leg and wrist (mostly right). 

The significant weakness of Aryna’s game is her double fault count. The Next-Gen talent has committed a whopping 280 double faults in 55 matches. This affects her momentum in crucial matches. 

Often, her opponents can beat her when they play well with a heavy ball. The more Sabalenka shows resistance in the tiring rallies, the greater the chance of her emerging victorious. 

Aryna Sabalenka: From World number 548 to the 2nd position

At the end of 2015, Sabalenka was ranked 548. Very few would have predicted the Belarusian’s meteoric rise to No.2 in the WTA rankings. Almost all the top players have a role model when they grow up. However, Aryna Sabalenka is different. 

This is because she was focused on boosting her level as a player. Moreover, the young star loved watching Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova. Perhaps, her fighting spirit in matches is due to the war history of her nation.

Her typical attitude in a high-pressure clash is “focus on going game by game, play my tennis, do my best and see what happens,” said Sabalenka on her approach.  

Wrapping Up

Aryna Sabalenka has all the weapons to become an all-time great of the game. Given the unpredictability of women’s tennis, the Belarusian has been incredibly consistent in 2021 (43-14 win-loss record). 

As the 23-year-old breaks records, her success will depend on her big serve, control of nerves, endurance on the court, and speedy strokeplay. With a tiger-themed tattoo on her left arm, it is ideal to say that the youngster will roar.