NEW YORK (AP) — Aryna Sabalenka has appeared to be having fun everywhere but the tennis court lately. Her Instagram account is filled with photos where she is fashionably dressed in beautiful settings, or lounging in a bikini in relaxing ones. Life looks great. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
On the court, it's as bad as it's been in a while. The top-ranked women's player hasn't even gotten past the fourth round of her last few tournaments, and she hardly looks ready to become the first player to win three straight U.S. Open titles since Serena Williams from 2012-14.
Sabalenka doesn't sound concerned. She sounds defiant. Her response to those wondering what's wrong with her game: "Maybe there's something wrong with people," she said. To those who don't like the black mesh-covered outfit she's wearing on the court in New York: "Who cares about people, right? All matters for me is that I love it," Sabalenka responded.
Sabalenka looked headed for a superb season at the start of the year. She lost in the Australian Open final to Elena Rybakina, but then won back-to-back hard-court titles at Indian Wells and Miami. Even after she was knocked out by Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Wimbledon, it was assumed Sabalenka would quickly return to form when she came back to North America and the hard courts where her power is so tough to handle.
Then she was upset by Ekaterina Alexandrova in the fourth round in Toronto and blew leads in both sets and was ousted by Sara Bejlek in Cincinnati, appearing frustrated at times with her game the way she used to earlier in her career.
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