At the start of the year, Sabalenka was aiming to achieve a feat last seen in 1999: winning three consecutive Australian Open championships. However, she was defeated by a remarkable Madison Keys. Subsequently, she displayed uncontrolled emotions both on and off the court during her loss to Gauff at Roland Garros.
“When you are defeated in the final of a major tournament, your thoughts become clouded,” she expressed.
“I needed to step back and thoroughly examine everything, ensuring that people grasped my perspective – that I was entirely in the wrong.
“It was a challenging lesson, yet it aided me in numerous aspects.”
Sabalenka managed her emotions effectively at Wimbledon, particularly during her impressive performance against local favorite Emma Raducanu in the third round. “Perhaps earlier in my career, I would have lost control and succumbed in that set,” she remarked afterward.
“I told myself, ‘do not expend your energy unnecessarily – conserve what you have remaining’.”
Following a semi-final defeat where Sabalenka felt she lacked the “bravery” of her opponent, Amanda Anisimova, she chose to take a vacation. During this time, Sabalenka contemplated why she allowed her emotions to “dominate me in those two finals”.
She arrived at a decision – during her US Open title defense, she, and not her emotions, would dictate her outcome.
Sabalenka progressed through the tournament bracket and ultimately faced Anisimova in the final, with the American seeking to overcome a devastating loss in the Wimbledon final. Considering the pressure Sabalenka already felt to avoid ending the year without a Slam title, it presented a significant challenge to her mental fortitude.
It was, arguably, Sabalenka’s most composed showing of the season. Even a missed overhead during her serve for the title was met with a knowing smile. Sabalenka faced a break in that game but managed a commanding tie-break to secure victory.
“I was confident that, owing to the hard work we invested, I was worthy of holding a Grand Slam title this season,” Sabalenka added.
“Obtaining this trophy signifies that I have learned a valuable lesson. I have evolved into a superior player, I possess greater control over my feelings, and I am incredibly content.”
There remains further development needed, as evidenced by missing out on the WTA Finals title. However, Sabalenka was able to quickly move past the loss – a promising indication for her following a difficult year.
“After some time, I am actually feeling quite well. The unfortunate aspect of this season [is] that I was defeated in the majority of the major finals I reached,” she added.
“So I suppose I will relax in the Maldives with my tequila and reflect on the fact that, overall, it has been quite positive thus far.
“I simply need to improve slightly in my own regard, and hopefully I will continue to grow next season.”
