Aryna Sabalenka explicitly calls herself ‘bit*h’ while reflecting on her on-court demeanor
Aryna Sabalenka has progressed to six finals this season, winning three titles, including two WTA 1000 ones.
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Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/The Tennis Letter)
No player on the WTA Tour so far in the season has achieved what Aryna Sabalenka has done. Her biggest rival, Iga Swiatek, even though she has progressed to every quarterfinal of the tournaments she played this season, has failed to reach a final since the 2024 French Open.
What makes Sabalenka a formidable opponent? While off the court she never forgets to joke and engage in activities that make fans laugh out loud, during matches, she turns into a mean girl.
I can say I’m a very unpleasant person on the field, I’m really nasty. Well, not nasty, no, very tenacious, with a temper. Annoying, I guess. I mean, bit*h, yes. That’s what they call me around here. I guess I have sporting greed and tenacity.
Aryna Sabalenka said (H/T: Championat)
Sabalenka has so far reached six finals already, winning three titles, including the Miami Open and the Madrid Open she won by beating Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in straight sets, respectively. When asked during the same interview whether the ‘good girls’ too can play tennis well, Sabalenka insisted that to achieve great results, it’s important, at least for her, to unleash her wild side.
I think you have to be nasty. Of course, you can be a good person, a good girl off the field, but on the field, you have to be angry, hungry, greedy, and very unpleasant.
Aryna Sabalenka added
She became only the second woman after 23-time Grand Slam singles champion Serena Williams to take home both the Miami Open and the Madrid Open in the same season. The 2025 Madrid Open final was her fourth one; in her three previous summit clashes in the Spanish capital, Sabalenka lifted the first clay-court WTA 1000 of the season twice, in 2021 and 2023, by beating Ash Barty and Swiatek, respectively.
She has now become only the second woman to capture three Madrid Open trophies after former World No.2 Petra Kvitova. The trophy was also the Belarusian’s third clay-court title.
She also increased her lead on the rankings table. Sabalenka has 11118 ranking points, while second-placed Swiatek, whom she dethroned last year, has 6773. The five-time Grand Slam champion would have dropped to the third position had Gauff defeated Sabalenka in the Madrid Open final.
Jim Courier feels Madison Keys’ season is better than Aryna Sabalenka’s
Jim Courier would rather prefer Madison Keys‘ season than that of Aryna Sabalenka‘s. The reason is quite simple- Keys took home the Australian Open.
I would too. They are both fantastic but you take the Majors!
Jim Courier said on the Tennis Channel Live Podcast
The 30-year-old became a Grand Slam champion for the first time with a 6-3, 2-6, 7-5 victory over Sabalenka in the final. Keys denied the 27-year-old her third consecutive Major Down Under.
Apart from the Australian Open, Keys also won the Adelaide International by beating compatriot Jessica Pegula. In Madrid, despite handing a bagel to Iga Swiatek in the quarterfinals, she ended up losing the match.
Aryna Sabalenka is preparing to start her bid for her first Italian Open title
The qualifying round of the Italian Open is underway, while the main draw of the Women’s singles will start on May 6. Aryna Sabalenka, the first seed, will start her campaign against the winner of the first-round match between Dayana Yastremska and Anastasia Potapova.
Sabalenka came close to winning the Italian Open last year as she reached the final but couldn’t cross the final hurdle. She lost the match to Iga Swiatek in straight sets. Sabalenka could once again set up a final clash with Swiatek if both of them progress to the final.
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