Aryna Sabalenka Calls Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams ‘Best’ Players She Has Ever Faced

Aryna Sabalenka lifted four titles from nine finals this year, with one title being the US Open.

Aryna Sabalenka Calls Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams ‘Best’ Players She Has Ever Faced

Iga Swiatek, Aryna Sabalenka, Serena Williams (Image via X/ESPN Tenis, TNT Sports)

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For Aryna Sabalenka, the best players she has faced in her career are Iga Swiatek and Serena Williams. Sabalenka met the former multiple times but clashed with the latter just once.

Against Swiatek, the Belarusian trails 5-8 in the head-to-head matchups but won their last two encounters- in the semifinals of last year’s Cincinnati Open and this year’s Roland Garros, where the Pole was bidding to complete a four-peat.

But Sabalenka met Williams just once- in the fourth round of the 2021 Australian Open. The match ended in the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion’s favor. Sabalenka, during a rapid-fire round with TNT Sports, was asked about the best players she has ever faced in her career.

Okay. Like the best. I mean, I played Serena once, so Serena, and Iga Swiatek probably.

Aryna Sabalenka said

Williams called time on her career at the 2022 US Open after her defeat in the third round. Swiatek, this year, featured in four finals.

After progressing to her career’s first grass-court final at the Bad Homburg Open (lost to Jessica Pegula), the six-time Grand Slam champion ended up clinching the Wimbledon title by double-bageling Amanda Anisimova in the final.

The 24-year-old then advanced to the championship match of the Cincinnati Open and beat Jasmine Paolini to win her first WTA 1000 title since the 2024 Italian Open. Swiatek then fulfilled her family’s dream by going past Ekaterina Alexandrova. In the WTA Finals, the winner in 2023 failed to progress to the semifinals for the second consecutive time.

Next year, Swiatek will be bidding to complete the Career Grand Slam at the Australian Open. She has never reached the final of the Melbourne Slam, reaching the semifinals twice: in 2022 and 2025. This year, Swiatek’s run was ended by eventual champion Madison Keys.

Eva Lys on Aryna Sabalenka’s Battle of the Sexes match against Nick Kyrgios

Aryna Sabalenka, on December 28, will be playing the Battle of the Sexes against Nick Kyrgios. The match has drawn a lot of mixed reactions, as while some think it’s good for tennis in general, other thinks Kyrgios’ win would belittle women’s tennis. Germany’s Eva Lys has now given her verdict on the much-awaited clash.

Nick Kyrgios, Aryna Sabalenka
Nick Kyrgios, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via/ ESPN)

I have mixed feelings about it, but generally speaking, I think Aryna Sabalenka is very good for women’s tennis. She pushes the boundaries and has moments that are unusual in the sport. It’s no secret that it’s a huge PR stunt to draw more attention to tennis. Who else could you pull something like that off with? Nick Kyrgios, of course. I think they’re a perfect match.

Eva Lys told Sport1

Kyrgios has featured in just five tournaments this year. The Aussie registered just one match win in the first round of the Miami Open. He was last seen in action in an official event at the Citi Open, where he lost in the first round of a doubles match he played alongside Gael Monfils.

You have to take it with a grain of salt. Tennis is still a sport that’s taken a bit too seriously. You get matches like this in all the other sports that aren’t taken so seriously. We’ll have to wait and see what the reactions will be. I can’t say whether it will be great for the sport or controversial, but it’s a start to making the sport more popular in some way.

Eva Lys added

Sabalenka faced Kyrgios in mixed doubles at the Gardens Cup. She paired up with Ben Shelton and defeated the pair of Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka. The Battle of the Sexes will be held inside Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena. It will be organized by four-time Grand Slam champion Osaka’s agency, Evolve.

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