It has been quite the memorable summer for Aryna Sabalenka, a 20-year-old from Belarus. Definitely something to write home about.
Going into the Round of 16 on Monday, on Labor Day weekend, Sabalenka's summer – and her season – look to be far from over, though.
A year ago, the Belarussian’s visit to New York City was like a bad vacation. Ranked just outside of the Top 100, she lost in the first round of qualifying to a player ranked No. 251.
This year, in her first entry into the main draw at the US Open, and her first year as a seeded player (at No. 26) at a major, Sabalenka is fresh from a dominant upset over fifth seed and two-time Slam winner Petra Kvitova.
But that’s only the most recent summer highlight for the heavy-hitter Sabalenka.
The athletic and statuesque Sabalenka won her first WTA Tour title in New Haven at the Connecticut Open the week before Flushing Meadows. In Cincinnati last month, Sabalenka streaked to the semifinals, defeating Karolina Pliskova, Caroline Garcia and Madison Keys before falling to No. 1 Simona Halep.
In Montreal, Sabalenka beat world No. 2 Caroline Wozniacki. The Belarussian also reached the final of Eastbourne prior to Wimbledon.
All that adds up to an impressive run during which the 20-year-old has beaten six players in the Top 10.
“A star is born!” exclaimed Anne Worcester, tournament director of the Connecticut Open.
Where Sabalenka hadn’t yet done well in her nascent career was at majors. Earlier this year, Sabalenka lost in the first round of the Australian Open, Roland Garros and Wimbledon.
That has changed with a late-summer vengeance at the US Open.
Sabalenka has lost just one set en route to Monday’s Round-of-16 encounter with another tall, big-hitting 20-year-old, Naomi Osaka of Japan.
It has been a very busy summer for Sabalenka. Perhaps the only question about her rapid progress into the top ranks of the women’s game is whether she has overdone it in the heat, playing eight tournaments since the French Open.
The sculpted, 5-foot-11 Sabalenka – whose left forearm is tattooed with the face of a tiger – has a ferocious game. She has a baroque windup on her forehand, but upon impact, the stroke becomes smooth and effortlessly powerful. Sabalenka appears equally comfortable hitting two-handed backhands crosscourt and redirecting them deep down the line. And her serve is heavy.
The Belarussian doesn’t appear to have any glaring weaknesses, even at this early stage of her development. “I have improved everything. You always can improve. I will work with everything. Probably moving on the court, probably serve. I would like to make it more percentage on the first serve,” Sabalenka said about areas she still hopes to better.
In this intensely individual sport, Sabalenka is adamant about crediting her team for the sudden spike in her performance. Late last year, she hired the retired Russian player, Dmitry Tursunov – now rocking long blonde surfer curls – as her coach.
Asked what Tursunov had imparted to her game, Sabalenka said he told her: “Don't think you have to make the final. Just enjoy. Because every match, it's a new story for you in your history.”
Asked about her spectacular rise, Sabalenka said, “This summer it works pretty well. I think everything is because of my team, because they're working really hard. They help me like nobody help me. I think these things let me know my team is always on my side. It helps me to stay calm on the court, to fight for every point.”
Though Sabalenka is a mere debutante at the US Open, she wears a look of complete confidence – imperiousness, even – on court. “Before every match, I'm a little bit nervous. But when I come on the court, I see these people [who] support me. I enjoy it. I enjoy the game. I don’t have any pressure.”
She doesn’t seem to be feeling the pressure. You would never know that the woman pounding winners into the corners off both sides had never won a match at a major before last week.
Against Kvitova, one of the tour’s biggest hitters, the broad-shouldered Sabalenka continually pushed the Czech deep behind the baseline. Sabalenka blitzed through the second set, 6-1, hitting the 5-foot-10 Kvitova off the court. It was a sight to behold.
“She did to Petra what we are used to seeing Kvitova do to her opponents,” said Worcester, the tournament director in New Haven.
Smacking serves as fast as 115 mph, Sabalenka won all nine of her first-serve points in the second set and committed just three unforced errors. So much for new-girl jitters.
Is she as confident as she appears? “No, actually I am just growing up. I start to feel more confident.”
Suddenly Sabalenka is rocketing up the charts with a bullet, as they used to say about Top 40 hits. She seems like she’s seeing the ball like a beach ball.
Sabalenka’s Instagram page is full of pictures of the 20-year-old at the beach.
She obviously likes summer.
