By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday August 29, 2021
Aryna Sabalenka got the monkey off her back at Wimbledon, but there's more to prove.
Photo Source: Getty
Wimbledon was the long awaited Grand Slam breakthrough for Aryna Sabalenka, as the Belarusian reached beyond the fourth round at a Slam for the first time in her 15th Grand Slam appearance.
On small step for Aryna Sabalenka, one giant step for her confidence - it could pay further dividends for the jaw-dropping talent in the months and years to come.
Sabalenka hopes that her Wimbledon performance signifies the turning of a corner, and New York will serve as her temporary proving ground next week, where the 23-year-old will take her place as the No.2 seed in this year’s US Open draw.
Playing at a career-high ranking, in the midst of another impressive season that has seen her reach at least the quarterfinals in half of the events she has played, Sabalenka is still nowhere close to reaching her full potential at the Grand Slam level. But she'll have the chance to prove that she's much closer to it than she was a year ago when play gets underway in New York next week.
Sabalenka, who has failed to reach beyond the second round in her last two appearances at Flushing Meadows, after reaching the round of 16 on her debut in 2018, enters the draw toting a 38-14 record in 2021 with two titles to her name.
Additonally, and impressively, she has won six of her last ten matches against the Top-20.
In her pre-tournament press conference Sabalenka talked about her Wimbledon semifinal and how she hopes it can help her going forward.
“After Wimbledon I just understand that I don't have to think about, [if I can] win it or [make the] final or be in the second week,” she said. “I just have to enjoy my game on each match and just be ready for every match, make sure I bring my level on the court and do everything I can. That's it.
“This is actually what I changed. I actually reached the semifinal at Wimbledon, so hopefully this time I can do even better.”
Work with a Psychologist Paying off
Sabalenka has a tricky draw at the Open. She’ll open with Serbia’s Nina Stojanovic, and could face Tamara Zidansek, a semifinalist at Roland Garros this year, in the second round. Her third round opponent could be red-hot American Danielle Collins and if the seeds hold she would face her longtime doubles partner Elise Mertens in the round of 16, followed by Barbora Krejcikova in the quarterfinals and Naomi Osaka in the semis.
But Sabalenka is far better suited for success at the majors this summer, thanks to years of working on her mental approach to playing on the sport’s biggest stages. She tells reporters that her work with a sports psychologist over the last five years has helped her finally come to terms with her doubts and fears about achieving success at the majors.
“I'm working for five years,” Sabalenka said. “Only right now I start to be honest with her about the Grand Slams, and I start to maybe to be more open with her, saying, all my—how to say—problems on the Grand Slams, that actually I was afraid of something."
As she has gradually shed her fear, things have taken a turn for the better for Sabalenka. Once a perennial Grand Slam disappointment, she's now on track for her best year ever at the majors. She had never won more than four matches in a single Grand Slam season prior to 2021. Through three majors this year she is 10-3.
If she reaches another breakthrough in New York, that record could change to 17-3. Even if it doesn't, the fear is dissipating and the future looks bright.
“A few Grand Slams before we start working on a real problem here on the Grand Slam. It's a long process. It's a long way, a long journey actually.”