Aryna Sabalenka started the year with a tremendous run at the Australian Open, lifting the trophy, but she has struggled a lot since then.
This week’s run at the Madrid Open has been the Belarusian’s first meaningful run since lifting her second major. Her year actually began with a run to the Brisbane International, but Elena Rybakina proved better.
She then went all the way to the Australian Open final and won the trophy, which was an ideal start of the season for Sabalenka. In those first few weeks, she looked like the best player in the world.
Since then, though, Sabalenka has made the final only once, this week at the WTA 1000 event in Madrid. She was beaten in the first round of the Dubai Championships by Donna Vekic.
Emma Navarro proved better at the Indian Wells Open, while Anhelina Kalinina downed her at the Miami Open. The event that she played before the Madrid Open was the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, and Marketa Vondrousova proved better.
She actually spoke about it after the Madrid Open final, admitting that she struggled to find herself again.
“After the Australian Open I struggled for a couple of months. It’s been intense. It was tough to find myself back but I’m super happy that here in Madrid I was able to bring it all together and to be able to get back to my level. It only can get better from now on.”
She was able to find herself in Madrid, but it took some work. The first two rounds looked very shaky as she barely survived that. The first big win was the one over Danielle Collins as she snapped her incredible streak and things settled well after that.
The final against Swiatek was winnable, but she didn’t do that and will now want to keep this positive momentum in Rome.
