Aryna Sabalenka doesn’t think ‘calmness’ and being a ‘no-emotions player’ helps in mental toughness
Aryna Sabalenka said she cannot hold her emotions inside her as it would make her crazy and affect her ability to think properly.
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Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X)
Being calm helps some players, while for some, it just doesn’t, as they have to let out their emotions to perform better. Aryna Sabalenka, during a candid conversation with Andy Roddick, admitted that she belongs to the latter category.
Earlier in her career, Sabalenka used to get criticism for not controlling herself during crucial moments, which often resulted in defeats. But last year, she worked on managing her emotions and improved her mental game. Though she managed to keep her emotions in check, being advised to stay calm has never always worked for her.
I absolutely agree with you that calmness does not show mental toughness. For some people, it works. It’s not like there’s just one way. Some people, that’s just the way they are. They hold everything inside. For me personally, I don’t know, for many years I out to figure out my emotions. Everyone would tell me I had to keep them inside, I have to stay calm, I have to be like that player, like a no-emotions player, but this is not who I am.
Aryna Sabalenka said on Served with Andy Roddick podcast
Sabalenka added that if she holds her emotions inside, she gets ‘too crazy’ and cannot think ‘clean’ because of the heaviness inside of her.
Conchita Martinez says Aryna Sabalenka deserves to be World No. 1 over Iga Swiatek
Aryna Sabalenka dominated throughout the hard-court season this year. Following a trophyless run on the clay swing, Sabalenka arrived in North America and took home two titles, at Cincinnati Masters and the US Open.
She continued her winning ways in Wuhan as she triumphed over home favorite Qinwen Zheng in the final. Her rival Iga Swiatek, however, did not play a single tournament on the Asian swing.
Missing mandatory tournaments meant she lost some ranking points, and Sabalenka’s successful campaign took her to the top position on the rankings table. Former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez lauded Sabalenka and said she deserves to be a World No. 1 player.
She’s been playing finals, and winning tournaments, so she probably deserves to be there, because Iga hasn’t played for a couple of months.
Conchita Martinez said ahead of the Billie Jean King Cup finals (via Tennis 365)
Swiatek and Sabalenka dominated the tour throughout this year, and together they won nine WTA titles (Swiatek won five, while Sabalenka won four). Swiatek hasn’t won a tour-level title since her French Open win in June.
Both were recently in Riyadh for the WTA Finals and neither of them could win the title. Swiatek failed to reach the semifinals, while Sabalenka was eliminated by eventual champion Coco Gauff in the semifinals.
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Gouri Das
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