Sabalenka embracing a 'more chill' approach as she settles into top spot

Aryna Sabalenka insists she has a few new tricks up her sleeve for the new Hologic WTA Tour season, ones she hopes will boost her to even higher heights than her World No.1 season in 2024. 

Speaking on the phone ahead of her season debut at the Brisbane International, Sabalenka was asked what her specific goals were for her opening week on the Gold Coast. 

"The only thing I want to be able to bring on court the things I have been working on in the pre-season," Sabalenka told WTA Insider. 

"Keep an open mind. In 2025, I'm a lefty with a one-handed backhand now."

Brisbane: Draws | Scores | Order of Play

Sabalenka was, of course, joking about her new groundstroke. That was evident in her 6-4, 6-0 opening win over Renata Zarazua on Tuesday, where her pummeling forehand -- right-handed! -- did all the damage she needed to join her Top 5 cohorts -- Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Jasmine Paolini -- with a victorious start to the year. She struck 23 winners and won 71 percent of her service points in a 64-minute win that was enough to shake off any cobwebs. Next up: Yulia Putintseva in the third round. 

"I enjoyed my off-season," Sabalenka said. "And then I was back to work, back to the things I love. Not that I loved the preseason, but I love to play tennis and I love to achieve goals, so I had to go through the preseason."

For the first time in her career, Sabalenka enters the season as the top dog, the one to beat. She engineered the best season of her career to win two Grand Slam titles and finish 2024 as the WTA year-end World No.1 and Player of the Year. But the 26-year-old shrugged off any concerns about the pressure getting to her as she eyes a third straight Australian Open title later this month. 

"I have to say I'm past that stage of being under pressure," Sabalenka said. "When you're in the Top 5, you're always kind of under pressure with the ranking points and all of the title defenses. So I prefer to focus on myself. 

"I already learned that if I'll be able to focus on myself to be able to bring my best game, or if it's not the best game, to be able to fight for every point no matter what happens, I know that I'm capable of so many things. So I prefer just to focus on myself and on being healthy and being ready to go 100 percent."

It's a noticeably more zen outlook for the famoulsy fiery Sabalenka, but this has not been an overnight transformation. Ever since she emerged from her disastrous serving yips in 2022, Sabalenka has worked to embrace a softer, kinder approach to her career. Make no mistake, her competitive fire still burns white hot, but Sabalenka has been far quicker to extend herself and others more grace. 

The way Sabalenka sees it, bad days come and go. The sun still rises. Nothing is an actual catastrophe. Don't take it personally. Just keep working. 

"The motivation will be there forever," Sabalenka said. "You still have to win. You still have to fight for it. You still have to compete and to prove every day that you are in your position for a reason and that you deserve to be there. 

"So I always keep myself hungry and I'm always hungry for titles, for wins. Winning is addicting."

Sabalenka turned heads during the off-season when she posted a video on social media of her practicing with her chief rival, World No.2 Iga Swiatek. Their rivalry has thawed as they collectively ascended to the top spots on tour. Both have been vocal about relishing the challenges presented by the other, which has elevated their games and the tour itself. Their riveting 2024 Madrid Final was voted WTA Match of the Year.

"It all started at the WTA Finals," Sabalenka said in her pre-tournament press conference. "I asked her to do TikTok. I was [like], I'm going to ask and see what happens. I thought we have to stay together and have fun and just enjoy our rivalry, not be too tough on each other. Since that, we already practiced a couple of times. Then I was doing fitness after our hit. She was like, I can join you guys. We filmed it and post it. 

"It's been becoming more chill between us, too. I have to say she's really nice person. It was fun getting to know each other."

For Sabalenka, chasing down Swiatek on the PIF WTA Rankings has been an open goal for the last two seasons. Now that she has, there is the question of complacency. But that's never a concern for Sabalenka. 

"I mean I haven't won a lot of tournaments," Sabalenka said. "There is the French Open which is really challenging for me. Wimbledon as well. I've been really getting close so many times but never been able to hold those beautiful trophies. 

"But honestly, I don't like talking about I want to win this or that. I prefer to, to really work through it. And when I have the opportunity I want to just give it all to achieve that goal." 

Now, Sabalenka's primary focus is adding even more strength and weapons to her already overflowing arsenal. 

"Well, definitely I can improve my health, my body, become a bit stronger," Sabalenka said. "There are so many things to improve in my movement. Also bringing more variety on the court, that's also something to be improved. There is never enough for perfection. I know that I can serve better. I know that there are some things to be improved on the return games. Also there's the game on the net. 

"So there are a lot of things to be improved and I'm really working hard to get better as a player and, hopefully, this season I can just keep going up with the results." 

More notable results from Day 3 in Brisbane: 

• No.43 Elina Avanesyan earned her seventh career Top 20 win by upsetting No.4 seed and World No.12 Paula Badosa 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 to advance to the Round of 16.
• No.64 Ashlyn Krueger needed just 69 minutes to topple No.6 seed Anna Kalinskaya 6-3, 6-3.
• No.44 Marie Bouzkova came through another three-set duel, this time ousting No.7 seed Jelena Ostapenko 7-6(0), 6-0 to make the Round of 16. 
• Adding to the upsets, Anhelina Kalinina knocked out No.7 seed Diana Shnaider 6-3, 4-6, 6-1.