“I can’t keep going, it’s too much,” Aryna Sabalenka opens up on her vulnerabilities as she continues to wear her heart on her sleeve

Days after winning her second Grand Slam title, Aryna Sabalenka talks of the time she almost took an early retirement from tennis.

“I can’t keep going, it’s too much,” Aryna Sabalenka opens up on her vulnerabilities as she continues to wear her heart on her sleeve

Aryna Sabalenka (Credits: The Independent)

World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka is starting to make Australia her most dominant region. The Belarusian won her second Australian Open title in Melbourne Park on Saturday, defeating Qinwen Zheng in the finals.

Playing as the defending champion, Sabalenka won the title decider 6-3, 6-2 to clinch her second career Grand Slam singles title. She did not drop a set throughout the fortnight, a feat achieved by a rare group including Serena Williams. Sabalenka, apart from the two AO titles, also won the WTA-500 event in Adelaide in 2023.

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Apart from these, she has also won the 2021 Australian Open title in women’s doubles partnering Elise Mertens. 4 of her 20 career titles, including singles and doubles, have come Down Under. While this success is praiseworthy, the former World No. 1 has not forgotten the struggle before this.

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During the 2022 season particularly, she made a total of 428 double faults and often ended up losing the matches she could have easily won. Speaking to Vogue, she recalled the difficult time when she thought of retiring. 

There was a moment where I was about to quit, actually. I can’t keep going, it's too much. But I couldn't give up, because of my family and my father. I felt like I had to keep going and keep doing what I’m doing.
answered Sabalenka when asked ‘Was there ever a moment where you thought, ‘Oh I’m so done’?’ 
I know that he wouldn’t accept that and he would be really pissed if he would hear that I was about to quit because I was tired of trying. Especially when something was working, and then something happened and it stopped working, which means it’s there, you just have to figure out the way to get it back.
added the two-time Australian Open winner.

Aryna Sabalenka thanks her parents for instilling the ‘fighting spirit’ in her

Not only did Sabalenka speak about her struggles, she also opened up about the contribution of her parents. Having lost her father very early, she never forgets to mention the impact he had on her career.

Aryna Sabalenka with her parents
Aryna Sabalenka with her parents (Image: FS)
My parents were always getting crazy because I was breaking the racquet. But the only thing they would say is they would never be pissed at me if you give it your all and you fight for every point. For them, it didn’t matter if I was losing or winning, it’s about giving it all.
said Sabalenka.

She also talked about how the only complaint her parents had with her was about her constant breaking of rackets. She confessed to having smashed six to seven rackets before turning 12 years old. Yet her parents pushed her to pursue her dream and the result is now there for the entire world to see.

With another Major added to her trophy cabinet, it’s only natural that the 25-year-old will grow in confidence. She is already one of the most consistent women of her generation having made it to the semis of all four Majors.

Her eyes will now shift to the clay season with two big events scheduled in the upcoming months. Apart from the 2024 French Open, the 2024 Paris Olympics will also be played at the Stade Roland Garros.

Despite opposition from Ukrainians, the Belarusian and Russian athletes have been cleared to play in the Games and Sabalenka will look to make the most of it.

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