Aryna Sabalenka’s journey to tennis stardom is all about power and perseverance. She made her first major breakthrough at the 2023 Australian Open, capturing her maiden Grand Slam title. That victory was a turning point. On September 11, 2023, she rose to the World No. 1 ranking—a true testament to her dominance. Her incredible run continued into 2024, as she successfully defended her Australian Open crown and conquered the US Open, clinching the year-end No. 1 spot. Now, she’s got her eyes set on another major. How much does she want it?

She’s been absolutely crushing it on the clay courts of Roland Garros this year! In the semifinals, the Belarusian ace walked away with a 7-6 (7-1), 4-6, 6-0 victory over Poland’s Iga Swiatek, who had been sitting on a 26-match winning streak at the competition. Although Swiatek got off to a rough start, she fought back to level things out in the second set, but it was all Sabalenka in the 22-minute decider. “It feels incredible but the job is not done yet. I’m thrilled with my performance,” said the 27-year-old.

But there’s more! Aryna is coming into her match against Coco with fiery energy. In her post-match press conference, she said, “It’s gonna mean everything to me and my team. Almost my whole life I’ve been told that clay courts are not my thing. I didn’t have any confidence in the past.. I don’t know how many years.. we’ve been able to develop my game so much.”

Not only did she reach the semifinals without dropping a set, but she also surpassed her previous best result at Roland Garros, which was the semifinals in 2023. In earlier years, she exited in R32 (2020, 2021, 2022), R64 (2019), and even R128 (2018). This year, she broke through, impressively defeating the four-time champion. As she said, “I feel really comfortable on this surface and I actually enjoy playing on clay.” Against Swiatek, she secured 62 total points and hit 20 winners. She delivered three aces, outpacing Swiatek’s single ace.

Sabalenka’s first-serve win percentage was 47%, but her second serve was even better with a 65% success rate. She converted eight out of 10 break-point chances. Swiatek had 42 unforced errors, while Sabalenka kept hers to 25. Now, Sabalenka boasts a 40-6 win-loss record in the 2025 season and a 17-2 record on clay!

This final won’t be easy. She faces Coco for the 11th time in their head-to-head, which stands tied at 5-5. But Sabalenka already defeated the No. 2 seed at the Madrid Open final. She’s hungry for this win, not just for herself, but for her team. “If I’ll be able to get this trophy, it’s just gonna mean the world for us. I’m ready to go in that final and fight for every point. Give everything I have to give to get the win.”

It’s no secret that she’s close to her team. She often calls them a “family.” That bond means everything to her, especially after all she’s overcome—like the harsh words from former coaches. Now, she’s ready to prove them all wrong, with her team right by her side.

Aryna Sabalenka sent out a strong message to former coaches.

On May 30, Aryna breezed past Serbia’s Olga Danilovic to reach the French Open’s fourth round, wrapping up a 6-2, 6-3 win on Court Philippe Chatrier in just 79 minutes. That’s the kind of performance you expect from the No. 1 seed! Yet, despite her dominance, plenty of doubters have followed her journey.

In her post-match press conference, Sabalenka opened up about her harsh past coaches. She shared, “It’s not about, like, push me too hard. I’ve always been quite motivated. They didn’t have to push me. But I’ve heard a lot of them saying that I’m not smart enough, that I’m stupid, and that I’ll never make it. And that I don’t have anything to make it to the top.” Aryna didn’t hesitate: “I guess I want to send a quick message to them to quit their jobs.”

Well, with three Grand Slam titles and nearly $35 million in prize money, Sabalenka has pretty much made them eat their words. And her current coach, Anton Dubrov, has been a game-changer since taking over the reins in 2020. After all, in just his first year, he guided the Pole to four WTA titles. And by the end of 2021, she had soared to World No. 2. Her fitness trainer, Jason Stacy, is another key part of her winning team.

She didn’t name her former coaches but made her feelings clear: “Honestly, I think they know nothing and they better quit just to save other players.” Now, with her trusted team by her side, Sabalenka is heading into her maiden French Open final. Can she take down Coco Gauff and secure her first French Open title? We’d love to know what you think!