“Has Climbed to the Top” – Aryna Sabalenka’s Year-End Dominance Compared to Serena Williams as Local Journalists Make a Bold Claim
Whenever any upcoming star begins to dominate any sport, there is a usual trend of being compared to the sport’s GOAT. The case of tennis is no different. In recent times, we have seen the likes of Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner being compared with Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Moreover, these comparisons are present in the women’s circuit as well. Earlier this week, some renowned journalists highlighted how Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka share common traits.
Sabalenka has had a stellar 2024 season in which she won the Australian Open and the US Open titles, apart from a host of other big titles. Additionally, she took over the top spot in the WTA rankings from Iga Swiatek and ended the season at the top. As a result, many Belarusian journalists feel that Sabalenka is gradually following the path of Williams and the two have a lot in common.
The journalists drew attention, saying, “Sabalenka has climbed to the top, imitating Serena Williams’ dominance. She has triumphed in Grand Slam tournaments and earned the title of the world’s number one racket. She is known for her excellent game and refined mental strategy. And she continues to push the boundaries, despite the odds. What’s more, she demonstrates evolution and maturity not only on the court, but also off it.”
Despite garnering immense success on the court this year, it wasn’t an easy year for Sabalenka off the court. Earlier this year, her ex-boyfriend passed away in tragic circumstances and it came as a major shock to Sabalenka. Nonetheless, she garnered the courage and came back strongly on the court.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka isn’t done yet. She is looking to follow in the footsteps of the American legend after having one of the best seasons of her career.
Aryna Sabalenka looking to dominate the WTA Tour like Serena Williams
Back in her prime, Serena Williams gave hardly anything away to her opponents. She won tournament after tournament and her opponents had a hard time playing against her. Looking to follow the path of Williams, Sabalenka is eyeing similar domination to Williams. Ahead of the WTA Finals, Sabalenka revealed her dreams to continue winning tournaments consistently.
She said, “I always wanted to dominate the tour like Serena did, like Iga was able to do for so long. It’s really inspiring … but I’m trying to focus on myself, on improving myself, to make sure that I have all of the tools to dominate the tour as they did. Five years ago if someone told me I’ll finally learn how to do this shot, I’d be laughing. I don’t have touch. I’m so bad at it. Now I have this shot in my pocket. It brings a lot of pressure on opponents because now they know they have even more variation.”
Although Sabalenka lost in the semifinal of the WTA Finals and wasn’t able to end her season on a high, she aims to win more tournaments next year. Can the Belarusian star achieve her dream of dominating like Williams? Let us know your views in the comments below.
