Aryna Sabalenka Reveals How Practicing with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner for Wimbledon Helped Her Game

Aryna Sabalenka played the semifinals at Wimbledon in 2021 and 2023 but skipped the event last year due to an injury.

Aryna Sabalenka Reveals How Practicing with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner for Wimbledon Helped Her Game

Jannik Sinner, Novak Djokovic, Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X/Jannik Sinner HQ, The Tennis Letter)

Aryna Sabalenka kick-started her Wimbledon campaign on Monday against Canada’s Carson Branstine, beating her with a 6-1, 7-5 scoreline. Following her match, Sabalenka was asked in the press conference about her practice sessions with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner.

The two ATP players will start their campaign on July 1. Sinner is pitted against compatriot Luca Nardi, while Djokovic will face Frenchman Alexandre Muller.

On Monday last week, Sabalenka sparred with her fellow No.1 Sinner and they also played a fun game, in which both the players had to hit a ball can and the loser’s team (Sinner lost) would have to do a round of pushups. A day later, Sabalenka trained with Djokovic.

You see the different approach to the balls, you’re learning [while training with top ATP players]. And I think automatically you start like reflecting on what’s happening on that side. And actually, I think it really helped my tennis to be honest. Because now there are some balls that I used to like struggle with a little. Right now, I kind of understand a little better like how to adjust those balls and I feel like even today on the match.

Aryna Sabalenka said

Sinner and Sabalenka have never reached the Wimbledon final, but both of them are semifinalists here. The Italian was defeated in the last four by Djokovic in 2023, but Daniil Medvedev ended his run in the quarterfinals last year.

Djokovic has played every Wimbledon final since 2018, losing in the previous two years to World No.2 Carlos Alcaraz, who he could again meet in the final. But before that, the 24-time Grand Slam champion could run into Sinner in the semifinals again.

It was Sinner who ended the Serb’s campaign in this year’s French Open in straight sets. Later, the three-time Grand Slam champion lost in five sets to Alcaraz.

Sinner and Djokovic have both won one title each this year. The 23-year-old defended his Australian Open title with a straight-set win over Alexander Zverev, while the 38-year-old went past Hubert Hurkacz in straight sets to end his title drought at the Geneva Open.

Marion Bartoli feels Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff forgot the French Open controversy

Aryna Sabalenka has apologized to Coco Gauff multiple times for the things she said after her French Open defeat. Sabalenka claimed that had four-time Roland Garros champion Iga Swiatek played Gauff instead of her in the final, she would have defeated the 21-year-old.

Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff
Aryna Sabalenka, Coco Gauff (Image via X/OptaAce, The Tennis Letter)

Gauff was surprised by this comment but later received an apology text from Sabalenka. The American has also urged the critics to cut Sabalenka some slack as she has completely moved on from the incident. She also appreciated that Sabalenka apologized to her.

Later, to show the tennis world that everything is alright between them, they decided to do a TikTok dance together. Marion Bartoli, during BBC Radio 5 Live, shared what she thinks about Sabalenka and Gauff’s TikTok dance.

If you look at the TikTok, it’s actually fun. Because Sabalenka is coming up with the choreography, and at the beginning, Coco is not in sync, and she is going ‘Okay, okay, let me be in sync’. If you don’t like the person, you are not going to do that. So I think they do like each other. And for Aryna, she is emotional, but that is what we all love about her.

Gauff, who edges the Belarusian 6-5 in the head-to-head meetings, could schedule a match in the final against her. Both Gauff and Sabalenka are chasing their first grass-court title.

At Wimbledon, Gauff too has never reached the final. She in fact has yet to advance to the quarterfinal as thrice she was defeated in the fourth round, including last year by compatriot Emma Navarro. The three-time Grand Slam singles champion will play Marie Bouzkova next. Gauff will start her campaign against Dayana Yastremska on July 1.

Also read: Stefanos Tsitsipas Casts Huge Doubt on his Future After Retiring from his Opening Round at Wimbledon