Aryna Sabalenka admits the reason why she keeps losing in the latter stages of Grand Slam tournaments this season
Aryna Sabalenka, the world No. 1, has candidly attributed her struggles in the latter stages of 2025 Grand Slam tournaments to a lack of self-trust and emotional control, particularly evident in her losses at the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon. After her Wimbledon semi-final defeat to Amanda Anisimova (6-4, 4-6, 6-4) on July 10, Sabalenka admitted to *Tennis365*, “Each tough defeat was different, but the similarity is I wasn’t trusting myself enough in those key moments. I wasn’t going for it like I usually do,” per. She pinpointed this mental lapse as a recurring issue, stating, “There’s US Open left… I have to trust myself & go for it,” per.
Sabalenka’s 2025 Grand Slam campaign saw her reach the Australian Open final (lost to Madison Keys, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3), French Open final (lost to Coco Gauff, 6-7(5), 6-2, 6-4), and Wimbledon semi-finals. Her French Open performance, marred by 70 unforced errors, was self-described as “the worst tennis I’ve played in months,” with emotions overwhelming her in windy conditions, per *The Athletic*. She noted, “I get over-emotional in finals or semi-finals because of this desire to win,” and referenced her unprofessional post-match comments about Gauff as a lesson in staying composed, per *BBC Sport*.
Wimbledon, Anisimova’s early celebration in the second set “p***ed me off,” Sabalenka said, fueling a comeback to force a decider, but she regretted not sustaining that intensity, per *The Standard*. Her 18 unforced errors in the third set against Anisimova highlighted a pattern of faltering under pressure, per *The Athletic*. Sabalenka’s consultation with Novak Djokovic before Wimbledon helped, but she admitted, “I need to stay calmer, like I am during earlier rounds,” per *BBC Sport*. She now eyes the US Open to apply these lessons and defend her 2024 title, per *tennis365.com*.[]
