Serena Williams Sees Herself in Aryna Sabalenka When She Gets Mad: “She’s Such a Spitfire”

Serena Williams, who returned for the first time at the 2022 US Open, made her comeback to the tour at the Queen’s Club Championships. She played doubles at the Queen’s with Victoria Mboko, then played the Berlin Open with Karolina Muchova.

At Wimbledon, she played singles for the first time since the 2022 US Open third round. Recently, Williams appeared on Fanatics Fest, during which she talked about what she really loved about Aryna Sabalenka.

Sabalenka is No. 1, and she’s such a spitfire, and she really gives her all when she’s out there. I see myself in that, and so I love that, I love that about her. And when she loses, she’s mad, and I wasn’t allowed to express myself my anger [when I was playing], but I love how she is allowed to show her anger. I love it.

At Wimbledon, Williams couldn’t go beyond the first round, where Maya Joint clinched a three-set win. Williams was next set to play doubles with sister Venus Williams, but they were forced to withdraw after the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion suffered a knee injury during her singles match.

Aryna Sabalenka on what she has learned from Novak Djokovic

Aryna Sabalenka was last seen in action at Wimbledon. She was bidding to win her first grass-court title but failed to defeat fellow four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka in the fourth round.

Sabalenka hasn’t yet reached a final since she won the Miami Open (also completing the Sunshine Double). At the French Open, her run ended in the quarterfinals. Sabalenka recently gave an interview with First&Red, during which she revealed the advice from Novak Djokovic that really stood out.

He said many things that were not specifically related to the game… But there is one piece of advice in particular that stands out. We were playing an exhibition match, then we were sitting and talking. I said to him: ‘Listen, what do you focus on when you are returning? After all, you are the best returner.’

Djokovic also last competed at Wimbledon. He reached the semifinals, but for the second consecutive time, Jannik Sinner, the eventual champion, knocked him out in straight sets in the semifinals.

He has a very specific position, I tried it myself, and I found it much easier to react. He replied: ‘I focus on myself, I simply try to take a small step, and then react afterward. Besides, very often you can see where your opponent is going to serve, or you can more or less predict it.’ And that was it, that was his advice. Since then, he often tells me: ‘Are you copying me?’ And I reply: ‘I am inspired by the best.

Aryna Sabalenka added

Djokovic has so far reached just one final, at the Australian Open. But he couldn’t win his 25th Major, losing in four sets to Carlos Alcaraz. But en route to the final, the Serb shocked two-time defending champion Sinner. Joao Fonseca ended his campaign in the third round of the French Open. He last won a title in Athens last year.

But Sabalenka has played four finals, winning three trophies this year. She started the season on a strong note, defending her title in Brisbane, but couldn’t lift her third title at the Australian Open, losing to Elena Rybakina.

Sabalenka next completed the Sunshine Double. She is next set to compete at the Canadian Open, where she is a one-time semifinalist. After Toronto and Cincinnati, the 28-year-old will be bidding to defend her title at the US Open. She defeated home favorite Amanda Anisimova last year.

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