Aryna Sabalenka will be developing mental scars from her Grand Slam final defeats, according to former British No 1 Greg Rusedski.
The world No 1 lost the Australian Open against Elena Rybakina from what appeared to be a dominant position in the deciding set.
It followed a pattern of Sabalenka losing tight matches in major finals, with last year’s defeat against Madison Keys in the Australian Open final and a loss against Coco Gauff in the French Open final last June another occasion when Sabalenka let a Grand Slam winning chance slip through her fingers.
She also lost the WTA Finals championship match against Rybakina at the end of last season admitted she was deflated after this latest setback.
“Right now I don’t want to think about tennis, but my ambitions are still the same,” Sabalenka said.
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“Keep fighting, keep working hard, keep putting myself out there, and try my best if I’ll have another chance in the final.”
Rusedski suggests her constant disappointments in big tournaments will take their toll, as he suggested scar tissue is built up when you continue to lose big matches from winning positions.
“Last year she was by far the best player on the planet and it was almost like a redemption when she won the US Open,” he said on his latest Off Court with Greg podcast.
“When you keep coming this close and keep coming up short, it means she has a problem and it can be in your mind in big moments.
“You should have won down under in Australia. You should have won in Paris. You didn’t. You got tight. You got nervous. You couldn’t put the hammer down and, and players see that. So they know if they’re down a break in the final set, or even if she’s serving for the match, you’re still in there with a chance.
“This will hurt Sabalenka, there is no doubt about it and when I look at the rivalry with Rybakina, I think these are now the best players in the world.
“Sabalenka has the personality and I know my daughter is a big fan of Sabalenka and loves her TikTok dances, while Rybankia lets her tennis do the talking. It could be a great rivalry and that’s what women’s tennis needs right now because we have that in the men’s game.”
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Rusedski is expecting to see more battles between Sabalenka and Rybakina in major finals in 2026 and he believes the balance of power may shift when we get to the French Open in May.
“I look at he serve with Sabalenka and Rybakina and it I think I’d favour Elena,” he added. “The forehands are both massive, but with the backhand, I go with Rybakina.
“She also had that little bit more belief to push through and she was my pick before the Australian Open started to have a good tun.
“I acrually picked her to win Wimbledon this year as grass is a good surface for her. I’m not convinced she will win the French Open as clay is not her best surface with her movement, so maybe that is the one Sabalenka will now be thinking she can win.”
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