25-11. That is the win-loss record of Aryna Sabalenka in her last 36 matches on the Tour, with the former World No.1 having one of her leanest patches when compared to her lofty peaks, where she lost only 14 matches in a whole season in 2025 and 2024. The Belarusian’s latest loss came at the hands of Mirra Andreeva, after which the World No.2 had a brutal dig at her own performance, despite having an optimistic view of her next match.

“What a f****ng loser,” said Sabalenka during a post-match interview when asked what coaching advice she would give herself. “Just keep going. You’re doing okay. If things didn’t go well today, it doesn’t mean tomorrow is going to be the same and I’m a hard worker, and I know that I can push through whatever.”

While the humor came at her own expense and with a smile, Sabalenka was not having a good time on the court against the 19-year-old Andreeva. The former World No.1 had raced off to a 4-1 start in the first set, and things looked like smooth sailing for her, before her game went haywire and Andreeva stepped it up big time. Sabalenka did not win a single game after her initial lead, losing 11 consecutive games to drop the match 4-6, 0-6 in just over an hour.

Taking a humorous view after losses is an approach Sabalenka has taken this year, most notably after her Australian Open final loss to Elena Rybakina. The Belarusian had a moment of banter with her coach during the post-match press conference, when it was suggested that a match breakdown and analysis be provided on the same day.

“Today? Oh, f**k you, no,” said Sabalenka during the press conference, while having a laugh. “Maybe in a week. Or maybe in a few days. Whenever I feel like, okay, I can move on from this one.”

Even after her loss to Andreeva at Indian Wells, Sabalenka made another quip about her own knee, which was taped up during her two matches at the Tour Finals. The Belarusian was first spotted taping her knee during her match against Ann Li at the Wuhan Open.

“It’s actually better than it was in the first day, first match,” added Sabalenka in her interview. “So I don’t know…maybe I need to hurt my knee again to play better tennis.”

On the other hand, Sabalenka also had a wave of reassurance in her abilities to turn things around, as evidenced by her brief quote earlier. Given that the Belarusian worked through her technical issues with her serve on court and dealt with off-court tragedy when her father passed away, and went on to become a four-time Grand Slam champion, it is not surprising she has the inner belief to improve her performances.

However, this is not the first time that the former World No.1 ‘s game has completely spiraled out of her control. Back at the French Open, she lost ten games in a row against Diana Shnaider, losing the final set 6-0 to the Russian. She had a similar breakdown in her game against Jessica Pegula in Berlin, where once again, Sabalenka was bagelled. Her reaction to the WTA Finals loss is still more nuanced and balanced than her reaction after the Roland Garros loss, where she openly admitted to wanting to ‘quit’ from the sport.

If there’s one event on the Tour which allows the players to bounce back even after a loss, it’s the WTA Finals. The loss to Andreeva will surely sting, but Sabalenka still has the opportunity to make amends in her final group match.

Aryna Sabalenka in Must-Win Territory at the WTA Finals

Sabalenka had a great start to the WTA Finals campaign, as she beat Karolina Muchova 7-6 (2), 7-5. While it will take some time to regroup after the brutal loss to Andreeva, the Belarusian will be motivated for her final group-stage match against Elina Svitolina on Friday.

Given how the group has shaped up so far, a win against Svitolina will guarantee Sabalenka a semifinal spot. The Belarusian does have a dominant 6-1 head-to-head record against the Ukrainian, with Svitolina’s only win against Sabalenka coming at Stuttgart way back in 2020. On the other hand, their most recent encounter was in the 2026 Australian Open semifinal, which the World No. 2 won in straight sets.

Not to forget, Sabalenka has a great memory playing at Indian Wells. The last time she played at the venue, she won the WTA 1000 title this year. The Belarusian has all the matchup advantages she needs against Svitolina, but much will depend on how quickly she can reset mentally after the loss to Andreeva.