Australian Open champion Aryna Sabalenka shows why she has attained a consistent spot in the top 3. Amidst the vibrant echoes in the US Open, Sabalenka rightfully attracts all the limelight. She outshined none other than the Paris Olympic gold-medalist Novak Djokovic, the 2024 Wimbledon and French Open champion Carlos Alcaraz, and the men’s singles Australian Open champion Jannik Sinner. With a performance that helps rewrite her story, the Belarusian showcases her multi-diverse talent in the sport proving, why she is one of the top WTA players.

Sabalenka might have some time before she knows her fate in the ongoing US Open, but the WTA star has already championed an interesting skill in the tournament. You must remember how she earned an extra spotlight in her 2023 Australian Open run because of her fierce groundstrokes. The media showcased how some of Sabalenka’s hits were even quicker than many ATP players.

Following that same trail, this Belarusian beauty topped the list for the fastest average topspin forehand speed. Her average topspin speed was 80mph, which trumped Alcaraz, Sinner, and Djokovic, the top three ATP players. Sabalenka’s forehand has always been an astonishing groundstroke. Her speed was recorded at 78km/h in the 2024 Roland Garros. It was during her quarterfinal match with Mirra Andreeva.

After Sabalenka’s Roland Garros forehand record, an Instagram page dedicated to tennis revealed, “Aryna Sabalenka currently has one of the fastest forehands on the WTA Tour. The stat that @bastino7 showed that Sabalenka hit the forehand faster than Jannik Sinner in her first round match.”

Sabalenka’s 2023 Australian Open finals against Elena Rybakina showcased her amazing groundstroke speed. In their two-hour and 28-minute match, Sabalenka and Rybakina left the spectators in awe by hitting fast groundstrokes. In this match, her groundstrokes had an average 87 mph speed, more than Djokovic and Stefanos Tsitsipas. Despite the WTA star’s incredibly speedy strokes, Sabalenka is often left dissatisfied. While she enjoys the record, she hilariously revealed what she feels about this achievement.

Aryna Sabalenka relies on her genetics for her speedy strokes

During her 2023 Australian Open run, Sabalenka had a cheeky response when she learned about her speedy forehand that beat many top ATP players. It was when the Belarusian defeated Poland’s Magda Linette in the semifinals. According to Australian media publication Nine, Sabalenka’s average forehand speed (87 mph) put her in competition with Matteo Berrettini, who posses one of the fastest forehands in men’s games.

After defeating Linette, interviewer Casey Dellacqua asked the Belarusian if she felt as good after hitting a great forehand. “Well, to be honest, not really, I actually think that I hit really slow balls today. But I don’t know, thank you!” she added. “I mean, I’ve got good genetics, I guess,” said Sabalenka.

Aryna Sabalenka struggled after she defended her Aussie slam this year, but she seemed determined to win another title. Following her latest average topspin forehand speed, it can be said that the Belarusian has no intention of stopping but improving her play style. Whether she wins or not, this success showcased her determination and resilience to win another Grand Slam title.