You know, professional tennis is all about those intense rivalries, right? For World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, her matches against players like Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff shape her story on the court. But recently, something happened that went beyond the usual competition, giving us a look at what the future holds for these champions. Sabalenka, along with Swiatek and Gauff, felt deeply touched by the emotional Hall of Fame induction of Maria Sharapova, a ceremony that was uniquely presented by her biggest rival, Serena Williams.

This get-together of two legends, who had their careers closely linked in rivalry for more than a decade, struck a chord with the new generation of the WTA Tour. Swiatek and Gauff, both with their own history with Sabalenka, openly talked about how meaningful this moment was. They saw it as a nod to a rivalry that really defined an era and taught some important lessons about respect and legacy. “Wow. This is so inspiring and amazing,” Swiatek shared her thoughts, capturing what many were feeling, while Gauff chimed in with a simple “amazing!” to perfectly sum up the moment.

The ceremony was really touching, with Williams paying tribute to the player she had faced so many times on the court, winning 20 out of their 22 matches. She pointed out Sharapova’s unstoppable determination to get better, saying, “Whatever her weakness was the match before, you better believe that was her strength next time. She was relentless about improving.” Sharapova, on her part, acknowledged Williams, saying, “Serena did more than just sharpen my game. She helped crystallize my identity as a competitor. It’s a gift to find someone who motivates you to reach those heights.”

Getting back to Aryna Sabalenka. During the US Open press conference, the world #1 opened up about her feelings, saying, “It was really inspiring and super kind, and you can see that, you know, tennis is just one small part of our lives, and to see them become that close and become friends, it’s very inspiring, and I got touched by the speeches from both of them. It was very nice moment, and it’s a great message to the world that, yeah, on court, we are opponents, and we can be quite aggressive, but out the court, we’re all kind, and we’re all friends, and it’s amazing to see.”

Sabalenka shared a fundamental truth that can easily be overlooked during intense moments. Her rivalries with Swiatek—highlighted by their intense battles in Grand Slam semifinals and finals—and with Gauff, which includes a tough three-set loss in the 2025 French Open final, are some of the most captivating stories in today’s tennis world. Still, the reunion between Williams and Sharapova really highlights that these rivalries are all about what happens on the court. The professional pursuits don’t have to shape personal connections.

For Sabalenka, Gauff, and Swiatek, who are currently crafting their own stories in tennis, this was a meaningful moment showing that legacies are shaped not just by the trophies collected but by the respect gained and the grace shown throughout a career. With the next chapter of the rivalry set to commence at Flushing Meadows, there’s another link between Gauff and Sabalenka

A coaching connection between Coco Gauff and Aryna Sabalenka

The high point of Coco Gauff’s season was undoubtedly the French Open final, where she took down Aryna Sabalenka. But since that peak, Gauff’s time on the court has been filled with few peaks and more valleys. These include an unceremonious first-round exit from Wimbledon, a round of 16 exit from the Canadian Open, and yet another first-round exit from the Cincinnati Masters.

A common thread through all these losses has been Gauff’s double faults. After averaging 6.8 per match this season, it was time for some radical change. So just before the US Open commenced, it was exit coach Matt Daly and enter biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan. The same MacMillan who helped solve Sabalenka’s service woes in 2022.

But is the last-minute change enough to change the course of her tournament? Sabalenka’s experience suggests it might be cutting it close, for it took her 2 weeks to see a noticeable change in her own serve. Per tennis journalist Matt Roberts, Sabalenka revealed, “I was desperate. Two weeks of incredibly hard work doing whatever it was he told me, fully buying in to what he was telling me, and I saw a big difference.”

She continued, “I think it’s going to be hard for Coco Gauff, with a Grand Slam going on at the same time, to see really meaningful change in such a short space of time.”

With Gauff and Sabalenka in different halves of the draw, tennis fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of yet another clash in the final between the two. Head to our live blog to check out some moments at the US Open!