Aryna Sabalenka Reveals the Possibility of Potentially Breaking Serena Williams’ Grand Slam Record
Aryna Sabalenka still has to win 20 more Grand Slam titles to match Serena William's singles tally.
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Aryna Sabalenka, Serena Williams (Image via X/We Are Tennis, #AusOpen)
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Aryna Sabalenka gave an honest answer when asked if she could ever reach Serena Williams’ level of success. The Belarusian admitted that matching the American’s Grand Slam record simply isn’t realistic for her.
Since 2023, Sabalenka has reached seven Grand Slam finals and captured four titles. Despite being one of the most dominant players of her generation, she still trails Williams by 19 majors and Margaret Court by 20. The Belarusian said in her post-match press conference:
We all want to break records, I think that is obvious. I believe the right thing to do is to focus on yourself, on your game, on developing as a player and as a person. If you deserve those great titles, if you deserve to break some records, you will. So, my goal is to develop as a player. And of course, I want to do it, but it is going to be very difficult to match the Grand Slam titles that Serena Williams has.
Now 27 and in her prime, Sabalenka still has time to add to her achievements. With a few more strong seasons ahead, she is expected to continue building her legacy on the biggest stages of the sport.
Her turning point came at the 2023 Australian Open, where she claimed her first major title. She followed it up with another win in Melbourne in 2024 and back-to-back US Open titles in 2024 and 2025. However, she fell short in her first French Open final this year against Coco Gauff, and at Wimbledon, she’s been stopped in the semifinals for three straight years.
Aryna Sabalenka advances in Wuhan
World No.1 Aryna Sabalenka extended her winning streak at the Wuhan Open to 20 matches with a straight-sets win over Elena Rybakina in the quarterfinals on Friday, October 10. The world No. 1 defeated Rybakina 6-3, 6-3 to continue her dominant run at the tournament.
The victory set up a highly anticipated semifinal clash against American star Jessica Pegula. Sabalenka, who is aiming for her fourth consecutive Wuhan Open title, broke Rybakina’s serve in the eighth game with a powerful forehand winner that shifted the momentum in her favor.
Although she faced some challenges with her serve later in the match, Sabalenka stayed composed and closed out the contest in straight sets. Her consistency and aggressive baseline play once again proved too much for her opponent.
Sabalenka previously won the Wuhan Open in 2018, 2019, and 2024 after the tournament returned from its pandemic hiatus. With this latest triumph, she becomes only the fourth woman since 1990 to win her first 20 main-draw matches at a single WTA event — joining Monica Seles (33), Steffi Graf (25), and Caroline Wozniacki (20).
Jessica Pegula to gain significantly from Elena Rybakina’s loss to Aryna Sabalenka
Elena Rybakina’s latest defeat at the Wuhan Open could have a major impact on Jessica Pegula’s upcoming schedule. Aryna Sabalenka continued her dominant run at the tournament, easing past Rybakina in straight sets to reach the semifinals. The loss dealt a setback to Rybakina’s WTA Finals hopes, as she continues to battle Jasmine Paolini and others for a spot in the top eight.
Pegula, meanwhile, stands to benefit from Rybakina’s early exit. With the Kazakh’s loss, the American has officially secured her place at the WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia. That confirmation could lead Pegula to skip the smaller events between the Wuhan Open and the season-ending championship.
The world No. 5 advanced to the Wuhan Open semifinals after edging past Kateřina Siniaková in a tight three-set match. Pegula is set to make another WTA Finals appearance and has already hinted she might rest after Wuhan to prepare for the year-end event.
Speaking on The Player’s Box, Pegula mentioned she would likely skip the tournaments in Ningbo and Tokyo if she had already qualified through her performance in China. Despite dropping a set in each of her last eight matches, Pegula has still won seven of them across the China Open and Wuhan Open. She now faces Sabalenka on Centre Court in the opening semifinal on October 11.
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