World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka believes an unconventional off-season, packed with exhibition matches and tactical experimentation, has left her primed for another deep run at the Australian Open as she chases a fifth Grand Slam title.
While many top players opted for rest after an exhausting 11-month season, Sabalenka chose competition.
The Belarusian featured in exhibition events in Atlanta and New York before stepping into the spotlight against Nick Kyrgios in a much-debated “Battle of the Sexes” match in Dubai, a schedule she says paid off.
The 27-year-old carried that momentum into the new season, lifting the Brisbane title by blending her trademark power with added variety, serve-and-volley forays, softer hands at the net and improved point construction, elements she hopes will prove decisive when the Melbourne Park major begins on Sunday.
“I had a great off-season, so I was really recovered and ready,” Sabalenka said Friday. “I played extra exhibitions, but they all made sense. They were good matches to test things I’d been working on during the pre-season.”
Though she admitted the Atlanta and New York exhibitions left her drained, Sabalenka said brief recovery windows helped her reset before Dubai’s high-intensity clash with Kyrgios.
“By the end of the pre-season, I felt strong and ready,” she said. “That match against Nick was also part of my preparation.”
Sabalenka’s title defense last year ended one win short of history, as Madison Keys stunned her in the final to deny her a third consecutive Australian Open crown. The loss, she said, still lingers, but no longer defines her mindset.
“That final was tough. She played incredible,” Sabalenka said. “It took me some time to recover, but I worked on my mistakes afterward. Coming into this Australian Open, I’m not focused on last year. Of course, I just want to do a little bit better.”
Despite being positioned alongside Iga Swiatek as a leading favorite, Sabalenka insists the women’s draw is far from a two-player race. The top-ranked Belarusian and Poland’s Swiatek, who share 10 Grand Slam titles, have dominated recent seasons, but Sabalenka sees a crowded field of contenders.
“It’s not only about me and Iga,” she said. “There’s Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula. There are so many great players and great rivalries.”
Consistency has underpinned Sabalenka’s rise. She has not failed to reach the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam since 2022, a run she attributes as much to mental balance as physical preparation.
“When it’s match day, I’m fully focused,” she said. “But on off days, I disconnect, go for a walk, go to dinner. It helps me feel fresh and ready the next day.”
Sabalenka opens her Australian Open campaign against French wildcard Tiantsoa Rakotomanga Rajaonah.
Swiatek, still seeking her first final in Melbourne after winning the French Open, US Open and Wimbledon, begins against Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue.
