Aryna Sabalenka admits she should have taken a break from tennis after the death of her former boyfriend in March.
Sabalenka was in action at the Miami Open when ex-NHL player Konstantin Koltsov died aged 42 what police described as an apparent suicide, with the Belarussian saying at the time she was “heartbroken”.
However, she did not withdraw from the tournament but her health suffered over the next few months as illness derailed her French Open campaign before having to pull out of Wimbledon with a shoulder injury.
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She took a break after that and returned in style by winning the Cincinnati Open last week and now has set her sights on adding the US Open.
“I think definitely after this year mentally I will become even stronger,” the 2023 runner-up said.
“I felt like there was no gap to get stronger mentally than I am at the moment. But things showed me that actually there is way to improve.
“Looking back I definitely think that I should have just stopped and just separated myself from tennis, just have a little break, recharge and start things over again.
“I think I overplayed and I carried a lot. At the end, it just hit me with the injury and also I was sick, I was injured, I had a stomach issue at the French Open.
“Health-wise I was struggling a lot and that’s why I think that this break was much-needed.”
Sabalenka, who defended her Australian Open singles title in January, was beaten by Coco Gauff in last year’s final in New York.
Gauff has not hit the heights since and admits returning to the site of her greatest triumph comes with pressure.
But a comment from a fan on social media has changed her perspective.
The 20-year-old American said: “A couple days ago somebody commented on my TikTok and the comment said, ‘Why stress yourself out over it, you’ve won literally and figuratively. Why stress yourself out over a victory lap?’
“I was like, ‘That’s actually a good perspective’.
“No one can take that from me so why stress myself over something that I already have.
“I’m just wanting to add to that, whether it happens here in two weeks or next year here or at Australia or whatever, there’s no point.
“So I think I saw that comment three days ago, and I was like, ‘OK, I’m going to stick by that and use that, because it really changed my perspective coming into this.”
World number one Iga Swiatek says her expectations are lower this year.
Reunited and it feels so good 🤗 pic.twitter.com/xvMW3dZZpP
— US Open Tennis (@usopen) August 23, 2024
“My expectations are not like so high compared to last year,” the 2022 champion said.
“I’m going to try to focus on getting everything step by step and not put too much baggage on my shoulders.
“They are a little bit lower because I know it’s been a really intense season, and after the Olympics, it hasn’t been easy.
“So I feel the best when I’m just focused on practicing and grinding on the court and really focus on just making my game better and not on the results.
“I’m just going to try to keep that mindset and that attitude, and yeah, then that’s it.”
