What happens when a player is so consistently dominant that winning becomes the expectation? According to American tennis icon Andy Roddick, that’s exactly the rare space Aryna Sabalenka now occupies. After a 3-6, 3-6 loss to 2022 Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios in the Battle of the Sexes, Sabalenka is now gearing up for the Brisbane International in Australia, and the former world No. 1 has revealed the one thing that truly makes her the best as she heads into the new season.

Just hours ago, Roddick shared a short clip from his podcast, captioning it, “Sabalenka reduced her risk without losing her identity 🔥 Do we underrate how much her game has changed? How will these changes reflect as she heads into the new season?”

In the clip, the 43-year-old broke it down, saying, “What Sabalenka does well, like she’s instantly impressive to the eye test. Oh, that much power, that much speed, that much intensity. It draws you in. You’re like, ‘Oh, she about to rip someone’s face off.’” And he’s not alone, as plenty around the tennis world see Aryna Sabalenka the exact same way.

The growing emphasis on power and physicality in women’s tennis has caught the attention of former ATP star Mark Philippoussis, especially when it comes to World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka. The Australian believes the WTA has reached a new level, and he singled out Sabalenka for setting the standard with her aggressive shotmaking.

Philippoussis went as far as comparing her power to the men’s game, pointing to her US Open title run.

“I’m watching just as much women’s tennis as the men’s. And I feel like the tennis has just been incredible from the women. They’ve taken it to another level. The power that these players have. And Aryna Sabalenka, you know, she’s been dominating it,” adding that her average hitting speed at the US Open was “higher than the men’s,” which he called remarkable. And the numbers back that up.

Even Ons Jabeur, who’s beaten Sabalenka twice in their three Grand Slam meetings, said, “The way she hits the ball, the power that she has — her serve. She puts a lot of pressure on the player.”

During her 2024 US Open campaign, Aryna Sabalenka averaged around 80 mph on her forehand, a figure that surpassed stars like Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, and Novak Djokovic.

According to IBM’s official tournament data, her average forehand speed in New York measured 129 km/h, slightly higher than Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic. Those figures reinforced the idea that her groundstrokes are among the heaviest in the sport, regardless of tour or even gender, for that matter.

Sabalenka later revealed that behind the scenes, biomechanic coach Gavin MacMillan helped refine her technique, similar to how he previously helped rebuild her serve. The tweaks allowed her to generate pace more efficiently while staying balanced and explosive.

Roddick then summed it up by reminding fans not to overlook the grind. “But the reason why she’s consistent now is because she’s gotten a little bit faster. She can take a hand off the racket on the backhand side. Now she can hit a drop shot,” he said, stressing that these improvements come from “work and discipline.”

And while Aryna Sabalenka is already known for her elite skill and speed, her recent Battle of the Sexes loss to Nick Kyrgios has only added fuel to the fire. Now, she has her sights set on payback. How, you ask?

Unfinished business fires up Aryna Sabalenka

Before kicking off her official 2026 season at the WTA 500 Brisbane, Aryna Sabalenka made it clear she’s open to a rematch. The world No. 1 admitted she would “definitely do it again,” making it clear she doesn’t like unfinished business and openly saying she “loves revenges” after facing Nick Kyrgios.

Sabalenka also acknowledged that the original exhibition format was more challenging than she expected. Some of the rules required on-the-fly adjustments, and she admitted it was “a bit tricky” realizing she had to adapt during the match rather than beforehand.

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However, now, instead of dwelling on the loss, the world no. 1 is focused on how a second match could be more balanced. While she was fine with Kyrgios playing on a full court, she felt the serving limitation tilted things too far. She suggested that allowing her two serves would “even our level a bit more.”

The Belarusian star framed the defeat as a learning experience rather than a setback. As she put it, “you’re not losing, you’re learning,” explaining that the match helped her understand both the game and Kyrgios himself better.

Despite several handicaps built into the format, Kyrgios controlled much of the match. Sabalenka briefly threatened when she jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the second set, but Kyrgios responded with five straight games to seal the win in about 75 minutes.

Afterward, the tone remained respectful. Kyrgios praised Sabalenka as a “hell of a competitor,” while Sabalenka said she enjoyed making him feel “tight” in key moments. The exchange showed mutual respect and left the door wide open for a competitive rematch.