Aryna Sabalenka Warned She’s in ‘Decline’ and Won’t Win More Grand Slams: “Weird Thing Going on with Her Mentality”

For the first time since 2022, Aryna Sabalenka will end a season without winning a Grand Slam title. Although she did play two finals, she failed to capitalize on her leads and capitulated at the tough moments.

It was Elena Rybakina who beat her in three sets in the finals of the Australian Open and the US Open. And at the French Open and Wimbledon, she lost in the quarterfinals and fourth round, respectively.

While discussing Sabalenka’s campaigns on The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast, co-host and the founder of Racquet magazine Caitlin Thompson warned the Belarusian that she is in “decline”, claiming that her rivals have figured out how to defeat her.

She also believes Sabalenka lacks the never-give-up attitude that Coco Gauff has, telling her that until she works on her mentality, she may not add another Grand Slam title to her trophy cabinet.

I don’t think Sabalenka is going to get any more. I think she’s in decline. I think everyone else has sort of figured her out, so she’s revealed that she’s very vulnerable in tough moments. You know who is not? Coco Gauff. She might not win all the matches and get to all the finals, but you know she’s going to fight you to the death.

Stubbs did not agree, as she believes Sabalenka can still win more Majors. Thompson then pointed out that even though Sabalenka beat Jessica Pegula easily in the US Open semifinal, she was handed a bagel when she faced the American in the semifinal of the Berlin Open.

The capitulation of it [the Pegula loss]. There’s a weird thing going on with her mentally that I think is more telling and troubling than when she had the yips, or the semi-final blockage from a couple of years ago that she finally pushed through to ascend. I think she has got to make major changes.

Caitlin Thompson added

Sabalenka’s win in the US Open final would have made her the third woman in the Open Era to complete the three-peat of this Slam after Chris Evert and Serena Williams. The 28-year-old played her fourth consecutive final in the New York Major, where she lost in 2023 to Gauff and won in 2024 by beating Pegula and last year by beating Amanda Anisimova.

Rennae Stubbs believes a new coach could help Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka has spoken a lot about her youth coaches for their brutal methods, some of whom called her “stupid”. According to her, those coaches know nothing and should quit their jobs, as this could help save players’ careers.

But Sabalenka has always praised her current setup, which includes coach Anton Dubrov and fitness coach Jason Stacy, among others. Because of her topsy-turvy campaigns this season, Rennae Stubbs talked about whether Sabalenka needs a new coaching team.

Or she does because somebody needs to stand up and say, ‘This is unacceptable behaviour’. She was slapping her hand at them, and I said that is just her way she reacts to pressure, but sometimes when you get another coach, they will say that isn’t acceptable to me. ‘I won’t allow you to do that, or I am out of here’. Anton is a great guy, a lovely guy. He’s done unbelievable.

Rennae Stubbs said on her The Rennae Stubbs Tennis Podcast

After the US Open, Sabalenka participated in the Vogue World 2026: Milano fashion show. She appeared in a brown Gucci turtleneck gown during Act III’s Made in Italy homage.

On the tennis tour, she will start her campaign on the Asian swing at the China Open, a WTA 1000 tournament in Beijing, which kicks off on September 30. The World No.2 is a three-time quarterfinalist in the tournament.

Also read: Alexander Zverev and Carlos Alcaraz’s Hilarious Conversation About US Open Win Goes Viral: “When You’re Stupid, It Helps”