Aryna Sabalenka: Double Fault Queen To Grand Slam Champion - UBITENNIS
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Aryna Sabalenka: Double Fault Queen To Grand Slam Champion

Self doubt and problems with her technique, Sabalenka’s journey to her first major title has been a tricky one.

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Not too long ago the biggest test for Aryna Sabalenka on the court was trying to control her problematic serve and not chasing after a Grand Slam title.

Throughout 2022 the Belarussian played 55 matches where she produced an outstanding 428 double faults in 601 service games. It was a difficult period for the talented Sabalenka with her coach, Anton Dubrov, contemplating walking away from her team as he felt he could do no more to help her improve. Dubrov has worked with the tennis star as her mentor since last summer and was also previously her hitting partner. 

“He just said, “I don’t know what to do. I think you need to find someone else who’s going to help you,” Sabalenka recounted. 
“But I was like I knew that it’s not about him. It’s just something about me. I just have to figure out the problem. We had to get through it.”

So what was the root of the problem? In recent years there has been a growing trend in players saying their use of a sports psychologist has enabled them to elevate their game. However, Sabalenka is not one of those players after deciding to stop working with her psychologist in the off-season and taking the mental aspect of her game into her own hands. Following her semi-final win over Magda Linette at the Australian Open, she told reporters that ‘nobody (other) than me will help me.”

Instead, it was her work with a biomechanics trainer which helped correct her problematic serve. Biomechanics is the process of looking into detail the technical aspects of a player’s game to establish where the issue lies and how it can be corrected. Sabalenka began her collaboration last summer and her results were noticeable during the second half of the 2022 season where she reached the last four of the US Open before winning the WTA Finals. 

But Grand Slam success had evaded her until this year’s Australian Open where she won six matches in straight sets before encountering a formidable challenge against Elena Rybakina in Saturday’s final. Coming back from a set down, Sabalenka battled to a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, win in what was a match of high quality and heavy hitting from both players

“I think it’s (her win) even more enjoyable after all those tough matches. I feel right now that I needed those tough losses to kind of understand myself a little bit better. It was like a preparation for me,” Sabalenka reflected on her past misfortunes on the Tour. 
“I actually feel happy that I lost those matches, so right now I can be a different player and just different Aryna.”

Despite her previous results, the 24-year-old admits she went through a situation similar to impostor syndrome where a person struggles to comprehend that their success has been legitimately achieved or deserved. 

“I always had this weird feeling that when people would come to me and ask for a signature, I would be like, Why are you asking for my signature? I’m nobody. I’m a player. I don’t have a Grand Slam and all this stuff,” she explains.
“I changed how I felt. I started to respect myself more. I started to understand that I’m here because I work so hard and I’m a good player.’
“Having this understanding that I’m a good player, I could handle a lot of emotions and a lot of things on the court. Every time I had a tough moment, I was just reminding myself that I’m good enough to handle all this.”

Now with a Grand Slam title in her pocket, Sabalenka’s belief and confidence in the sport grows. Although trying to maintain her momentum on the Tour is easier said than done. At present, there are nine active WTA players who have won multiple Grand Slam titles. 

The future is undoubtedly bright for Sabalenka who will rise to No.2 on Monday. But it remains to be seen how much of a dominant force she could be on the Tour in the coming months. 

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Coco Gauff And Aryna Sabalenka Struggle Through In Indian Wells Openers

The duo were pushed to three sets in their first matches played at this year’s WTA 1000 event.

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Coco Gauff admits she didn’t play her best tennis at Indian Wells on Saturday after coming through a rollercoaster three-set battle. 

The world No.3 needed more than two hours to oust France’s Clara Burel 2-6, 6-3, 7-6(4). Gauff found herself trailing multiple times during the match. After losing the opening set, the reigning US Open champion then had to battle back from a 0-4 deficit in the decider. Capitalising on some tentative hitting from Burel who was bidding to record the biggest win of her career. 

Despite prevailing, it was a far from vintage performance from Gauff who hit six double faults and 14 unforced errors during the first set alone. She also struggled behind her second serve, winning just 12 out of 36 points played. 

“I think for me it’s just getting through that match definitely meant a lot,” Gauff said. “Could have easily thrown in the towel. But honestly, I was just telling myself, like, win or lose, I don’t want to have any regrets on the court. I want to be like I gave myself the best opportunity to win, and I did that.
“Am I proud of how I played? Not really, to be honest. But the fight, I am proud of. I am eager to improve. I think it wasn’t my best tennis at all. I think I just have a lot of improvement that I can do to get better.”

The 19-year-old has become the first teenager in the last 15 years to have won 50 or more matches at WTA 1000 events. She will next play Lucia Bonzetti.

“That’s pretty cool,” Gauff commented on her latest milestone. “I feel like I have a lot of stats and stuff like that. Hopefully I can close this chapter of my life off good. I’m really happy with how my teenage years went.” 

Sabalenka avoids major upset 

Aryna Sabalenka was another player to experience trouble during their opening match after outlasting Peyton Sterns 6-7 (2), 6-2, 7-6 (8), in a clash that lasted almost three hours. The world No.2 was on the verge of losing and had to save four match points when down 4-5 in the final set. Despite that blip, she held her nerve to break back before prevailing in a tightly contested tiebreaker. 

“Wow, I think I was right when I see this tattoo of a tiger and I was fighting today like a tiger,” said Sabalenka. “It’s just crazy what happened. She’s an unbelievable player.
“She played crazy tennis. She said at the net, ‘I had you,’ so she’s right. I was probably a little bit lucky to get this win. Super happy to get through this.”
“I didn’t play my best tennis and she was crushing it like crazy. I was just trying to stay in the game and keep fighting for every point. But this match definitely goes into the book of craziest matches and the best matches of my career.”

Sabalenka is hoping to go one step better in Indian Wells than 12 months ago when she reached the final before losing to Elena Rybakina, who has pulled out of the tournament due to gastrointestinal issues. 

Awaiting the Belrussian in the next round will be Emma Raducanu in what will be the first meeting on the Tour. 

Elsewhere, Naomi Osaka posted a convincing 7-5, 6-3, win over world No.15 Luidmila Samsonova. It is the first time she has beaten a top 20 player since returning to competitive tennis following the birth of her child. 

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Caroline Wozniacki Expresses Delight After Vekic Win, Ons Jabeur Crashes Out

Caroline Wozniacki earned a big win over Donna Vekic at Indian Wells while Ons Jabeur crashed out.

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Caroline Wozniacki is into the third round at Indian Wells after toppling Donna Vekic 7-6(3) 6-3 while Ons Jabeur crashed out.

The former Australian Open champion produced a resilient and clinical display to knock out Vekic in straight sets.

It was a clinical display on return as Wozniacki neutralized the Croatian’s serve to break on three occasions to reach the third round.

Speaking after the match Wozniacki described Indian Wells as one of the best tournaments in the world and was happy with the performance, “Donna is a great competitor, great player. I thought we both played really well today. Just happy to be through this one,” the 33 year-old told the WTA website.

“I’m here because I love to be here. You know, I’m lucky enough that I have been given some wildcards so I’m able to play these big tournaments and compete against the best players in the world.”

Wozniacki will now face Katie Volynets in the third round after the American stunned sixth seed Ons Jabeur.

The world number 131 recorded the biggest victory of her career against the out-of-sorts Tunisian in a 6-4 6-4 win.

In an interview after the match Volynets described how much it meant to her to beat one of her idols, “I’m so honored to have a wild card here and I’m so honored to play Ons,” the wildcard told the WTA website.

“I’ve been watching her on TV for years so it’s just such an honor to play here on this court against such a wonderful player. I’m definitely pleased with how I was able to execute today.

“I think it was very close the entire time. She was throwing in some amazing drop shots and slices and injecting some pace. I’m glad I was able to overcome that.”

The winner of Wozniacki and Volynets will play the winner of Veronika Kudermetova against Angelique Kerber.

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Simona Halep To Make Tennis Return In Miami

Simona Halep has a wildcard into the Miami Open.

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Simona Halep will make her return to tennis in Miami after receiving a wildcard for the tournament.

The Romanian hasn’t played competitively for 19 months with her last appearance being a first round defeat to Daria Snigur at the 2022 US Open.

After her appearance in New York, Halep would be banned for four years from competitive tennis after failing a doping test.

A lengthy appeal process followed from Halep which eventually saw her ban reduced by the Court Of Arbitration For Sport to nine months, therefore allowing her to resume competitive tennis with immediate effect.

It hasn’t taken long for Halep to make her next step as the Romanian announced on Instagram that she has received a wildcard for the Miami Open.

It will be interesting to see what shape Halep is in as it would have made more logical sense for the former Roland Garros Champion to begin her comeback on clay.

The 32 year-old has made nine appearances in Miami and her best performance has been reaching the semi-finals in 2015 and 2019.

Time will tell whether Halep can repeat her past success with the Miami Open starting on the 19th of March.

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