Emotions are important in everyday life as in sports, as in tennis, and Aryna Sabalenka -who in the podcast Served with Andy Roddick analyzed this issue with the former American player - knows well it. Already starting from 2023, the Belarusian has made enormous progress in managing emotions, progress that has helped her win three Majors and become the new queen of women's tennis.
Important goals, which Aryna has also achieved thanks to her smile, to living sensations and emotions in a positive way. But this, as she herself explained, has not meant becoming a non-emotional tennis player or a robotic and glacial tennis player. On the contrary. The Belarusian explained how we all have these emotional moments, and it works because she explained that if she keeps it all inside, she gets too crazy and has so much heaviness inside. And she can't think straight.
"We talked with the team and that's why sometimes you see those funny videos of me yelling at my team, throwing the racket at the US Open, which I didn't actually throw. I was trying to pass the racket to my coach, but that's it," she told.
She also said how she personally for many years has tried to understand her emotions, everyone told her that she should keep it inside, that she should stay calm, that she should be like that player, like a player without emotions, but Sabalenka stressed that she is not that.
"Calmness does not demonstrate mental toughness. For some people it works. It's not like there's only one way. Some people are just made that way. They keep it all inside," she analyzed.
Sabalenka has taken the WTA ranking throne, overtaking Polish Iga Swiatek in recent weeks. The Belarusian revealed her feelings about being number 1 and the goals she has set for herself, in an interview with Arab News. The WTA No.1 said that being a leader is difficult, although she believes it is a great opportunity to help the sport. For example, fighting for equal prize money between the circuits, showing the world this perspective and showing people countries like Saudi Arabia where we have arrived. Countries where the quality of life of women can be significantly improved.
"It is a responsibility and the truth is that I like it. I like representing women's sport, showing that we are strong and powerful, that we can fight for our rights," she said with great honesty.
Sabalenka also revealed that she has always wanted to dominate the tour like Serena Williams did, or like Iga did for so long, acknowledging the last two great players who have held the lead of the women's ranking for more weeks.
"Swiatek is still fighting, even though I managed to finish the season as the world No. 1 this season, which is an honor. It's really inspiring to be the best on the tour like they did, even though at the moment I'm trying to focus on myself, improving every day. I'm focused on perfecting all the tools at my disposal to dominate the tour like they did," Aryna said.
We recall Coco Gauff, eventual champion of the WTA Finals, defeated Sabalenka 7-6(4), 6-3, eliminating the WTA No.1 from the year-end Masters in Riyadh, effectively closing Aryna's season. The Belarusian committed an incredible number of errors (47) and was unable to express the tennis that allowed her to overtake Swiatek in the rankings in recent weeks. Sabalenka threw away the break of advantage on two occasions in the first set: in the second she did it at the least worst moment, allowing Gauff to get breaks down 5-6 and grab the tie-break. Tie-break in which the American carefully managed the gap created at the beginning. In the second set, Sabalenka appeared even more nervous and gave up her serve at 1-1 and 1-3, going out of rounds with both her forehand and backhand. Gauff also showed little clarity on serve and found herself in an uncomfortable situation compared to the context of the situation. Sabalenka, however, confirmed the negative day by suffering yet another break at 3-5, when she could have put pressure on the American, thus closing her amazing season in Riyadh.
