We all know who fairly dominated the WTA race to the No. 1 position this season. Aryna Sabalenka showcased her finesse with her aggressive gameplay. The Belarusian sensation started strong as she clinched the season-opening Australian Open. While she fairly extended her consistency in top-tier events, Sabalenka stunned everyone after bagging the US Open crown – notably a year after finishing runner-up against American Coco Gauff in New York. What separates her from the others though? Renowned journalist Jonathan Overend has the answer.

While the hectic touring calendar did its trick on players like Iga Swiatek, Sabalenka maintained her form and even finished the season as the year-end World No. 1. During an episode on the ‘Sky Sports Tennis podcast, Jonathan Overend explained how the Belarusian capitalized on smart and decisive thinking that enabled her to finish the year strong. If you remember, Sabalenka was nowhere to be seen at Wimbledon. The 26-year-old withdrew from the grass court Slam at the eleventh hour and this decision helped her recover and maintain high energy levels through the season’s second half.

He said, “For all the tournaments she’s won this year, for me one of the big decisions was the tournament that she didn’t play, Wimbledon. Pulling out of Wimbledon on the eve of the tournament proved to be an inspired decision because it allowed her that time to recover and build for the second half of the year. I think a message to everybody, too much tennis isn’t always the answer. Sometimes you do need to step back to give your body the chance to recover.”

Let’s be real: Sabalenka is motivated to conclude her career on a high. Not that retirement is on the horizon for her anytime soon, but the Belarusian wants to ensure that her family name is forever embedded on the sport’s walls.

Aryna Sabalenka pays heartfelt tribute to her late father following US Open glory

Aryna Sabalenka and her loving relationship with her father Sergey Sabalenka, a former ice hockey sensation, needs no substantiation. Ever since he passed away in 2019 at age 43 due to meningitis, the 26-year-old has had to endure emotional flashbacks from the time when her father used to support and cheer for her during matches.

Poised to do justice to her family name, Sabalenka voiced a heartfelt admission to the reporters following her triumph in a post-match presser saying, “After I lost my father, it’s always been my goal to put our family name in the history of tennis. And every time I see my name on that trophy, I’m so proud of myself, I’m proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream. And that they were doing everything they could to keep me going. And so I had this opportunity in life. So it means a lot.”

Despite a semifinal loss to Coco Gauff in the season-ending WTA Finals in Riyadh, Sabalenka finished on top of the WTA rankings. With a laudable win streak in 2024, the Belarusian will look to replicate similar results in the upcoming season after spending quality time with her friends and family.