Aryna Sabalenka has “every opportunity” to complete the Calendar Grand Slam in 2026, according to former WTA Tour star Nadia Petrova.
World No 1 Sabalenka has cemented her place as one of the leading women’s tennis players of her generation and one of the most successful stars of the modern era, with four Grand Slam titles to her name.
The Belarusian won back-to-back Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024 and consecutive US Open titles in 2024 and 2025, beating Amanda Anisimova in this year’s final at Flushing Meadows.
Sabalenka’s second US Open title came following a hugely consistent year at the Slams, in which she finished as the runner-up at both the Australian Open and French Open, and reached the semi-final of Wimbledon.
It has been over three years since the 27-year-old was beaten before the quarter-final of a Grand Slam tournament she entered, and she has reached at least the semi-final of 13 separate majors since the start of 2021.
Sabalenka’s ability to get over the line in key matches has sometimes been questioned, but there is no doubt that she has been going deep at all four Grand Slams more consistently than any other woman in recent years.
And former world No 3 Petrova, who was a two-time French Open semi-finalist at the peak of her powers, believes Sabalenka has a realistic chance to win all four Slam titles in 2026.
Speaking to Championat, the Russian backed Sabalenka to have learned from some of her tougher defeats in 2025 — and use them to her advantage.
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“She [Sabalenka] has every opportunity to win the Calendar Slam,” commented Petrova (translated from Russian).
“She’s been very confident this season. Yes, there were moments where she stumbled, you could say, right at the finish line. But she’ll learn from them, become more experienced, stronger.
“Perhaps she’ll be more relaxed about different situations on the court, less stressed out, so that these emotions don’t get in the way.
“She’s certainly gained tremendous confidence this season. I think Aryna will start next year with that confidence as well.”
Completing the Calendar Grand Slam remains one of the most elusive tasks in tennis, with no player — male or female — achieving the feat since Steffi Graf in 1988.
The only other players to complete the Calendar Grand Slam singles in the Open Era are Rod Laver, who did so in 1969, and then Margaret Court in 1970.
Both Novak Djokovic (2021) and Serena Williams (2015) have entered the US Open in recent years with the chance to complete the rare achievement.
However, Djokovic was beaten in the 2021 US Open final by Daniil Medvedev, while Williams was memorably stunned in the semi-final by Roberta Vinci a decade ago.
After competing against Nick Kyrgios in the controversial ‘Battle of the Sexes’ in Dubai, Sabalenka will officially start her 2026 WTA Tour season at the Brisbane International, where she will look to defend her title.
The Belarusian will then enter the Australian Open, where she will hope to reach her fourth straight final and ultimately regain the title, after losing to Madison Keys in this year’s championship match.
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