Aryna Sabalenka has been focusing on finding “things which bring joy” as she seeks to conclude a challenging year with her first US Open title. The world number two kicked off the year on a high note by successfully defending her Australian Open title in January. However, her year took a tragic turn in March when her former boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, passed away, an event Sabalenka described as “an unthinkable tragedy.”
Despite the emotional toll, the 26-year-old chose to continue competing but now reflects that she may have benefitted from taking a break. Her season was further disrupted by a stomach issue that led to her defeat in the French Open quarter-finals, followed by a shoulder injury that forced her to withdraw from Wimbledon.
After taking a month off to recover, Sabalenka made a strong comeback, capturing the Cincinnati Open title in August as she prepares for the US Open.
“I think definitely after this year, mentally I will become even stronger,” she said on Friday.
Aryna Sabalenka experienced highs and lows in her year, losing to Coco Gauff in an exciting three-set encounter despite reaching the US Open final the previous year. Defending her championship without dropping a set, she defeated Zheng Qinwen in just 76 minutes to start the season with a dominant display at the Australian Open.
A defining feature of Sabalenka’s season has been her humorous moments with her coaching staff. One such moment is her playful pre-match routine, which she started in Melbourne and involves her signing the head of her fitness trainer, Jason Stacy, before every game.
The former ice hockey player Sergey, who went away in 2019, is largely responsible for the world number two’s personality and ambition.
“I wish he would be still alive. I think we would have so much fun together right now,” she said.
The US Open kicks off on Monday, with Sabalenka, a strong contender for the title, set to face qualifier Priscilla Hon in her first match.
SOURCE https://dew360.net
Join our WhatsApp channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VakDz4u9RZATWh53yC1a
