Sabalenka has just won her second US Open title and overall her fourth Grand Slam.
Archive of posts tagged Amanda Anisimova
Amanda Anisimova reveals what she told Naomi Osaka after winning US Open SF thriller
Anisimova had a special message for Osaka after edging out the Japanese in a three-hour US Open semifinal battle.
Raducanu Hires Francisco Roig as New Coach
By Richard Pagliaro | Tuesday, August 5, 2025
Photo credit: Mubadala Citi DC Open Facebook
Emma Raducanu has hired Franciso Roig in an effort to continue a renaissance season.
The 2021 US Open champion has hired Rafael Nadal’s former coach through the end of the 2025 season, PA News Agency reports.
The 57-year-old Spaniard was a long-time coaching member of Nadal’s team, later coached Matteo Berrettini and has experience coaching on the WTA Tour as well. Roig, who reached a career-high rank of No. 60 on the ATP Tour, also coached 2017 US Open champion Sloane Stephens.
Roig succeeds Mark Petchey, who had been coaching Raducanu on an informal basis since the Miami Open. Tennis Channel analyst had agreed to work with Raducanu through the end of the grass-court season, but could not commit to coaching her full time because of his television commentary obligations.
Working with Petchey, who previously coached Andy Murray, Raducanu registered some of her best results in years.
The 22-year-old Raducanu reached quarterfinals at Miami and Queen’s Club and was a semifinalist in Washington, DC. Working with Petchey, Raducanu applied her athleticism and found the joy in her tennis.
The 33rd-ranked Raducanu has defeated former Grand Slam champions Naomi Osaka and Marketa Vondrusova in recent months and led world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka by a break in both sets before bowing 7-6(6), 6-4 in the Wimbledon third round.
After that match, Raducanu said she hoped to continue working with Petchey, but understood his position.
“Yeah, it’s very difficult. He obviously also has his commentating commitments,” Raducanu said at Wimbledon. “He agreed to kind of help me until the end of Wimbledon and then we kind of see from there because he gave up some work to work with me here, which I really appreciate and I’m grateful for.”
The challenge Roig faces is encouraging Raducanu to continue to apply her athleticism, all-court skills and versatility, particularly against big hitters, who can overpower her. Wimbledon finalist Amanda Anisimova crushed Raducanu 6-2, 6-1 in Montreal playing bold first-strike tennis.
Still, Raducanu should be encouraged with the strides she made working with Petchey that prompted No. 1 Sabalenka to make a bold assertion about the Briton.
“I cannot predict anything, but I definitely sure that, maybe not in a month, but maybe a bit longer period, but she definitely going to get back in top,” Sabalenka said after her Wimbledon win over Raducanu. “She’s fighting. She’s playing much better.
“She’s more consistent. I can see that mentally she’s healthy. I think that’s really important. Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s getting there.”
Another Match Point Miracle for Keys, Who Advances in Montreal
Madison Keys is having the year of her life, and she’s overcoming hurdles at seemingly every tour stop. Today in Montreal, another shining example as the American saved a pair of match points to get past Karolina Muchova, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, to book a quarterfinal spot at the Omnium Banque Nationale.
“Definitely really happy to get that win,” Keys said. “She’s such a great player, and she’s always such a tough opponent to go against. To be able to, after losing the first set, get back into the match, even being match points down, to be able to figure it out is always a good day.”
2016 finalist Keys has now won from match points down three times this season – against Iga Swiatek at the Australian Open, against Sofia Kenin at Roland-Garros, and now Montreal, where either Swiatek or Clara Tauson will be her next opponent.
Muchova had a pair of match points with Keys serving at 4-5 in the third. Previously, Keys, who improved to 35-10 on the season with her win, dropped the opening set before hitting back to take the middle set without surrendering a break.
In the third Muchova and Keys traded breaks, then the Czech saved three break points while serving at 2-2 to stay on serve. She then had the opportunities with Keys serving at 4-5, 30-40, and six points later at ad-out.
Keys held her nerve and serve, then converted her third break point for 6-5. She converted her second match point to clinch the hard-earned win in two hours and 21 minutes.
Osaka Routs Sevastova
Naomi Osaka powered past Anastasija Sevastova 6-1, 6-0 in the second round of four women’s singles round of 16 encounters on Saturday, the Japanese recording her 20th win of the season to match her entire 2024 total.
Osaka got the win in 48 minutes as 386-ranked Sevastova had very little left after winning three three-setters to reach the round of 16.
She will face either Amanda Anisimova or Elina Svitolina in the quarterfinals.
Montreal: Naomi Osaka delivers perfect display for QF, destroys rival in 49 minutes
Naomi Osaka has just delivered one of her best displays since starting her post-pregnancy comeback in 2024 as the former world No. 1 needed just 49 minutes to destroy Anastasija Sevastova 6-1 6-0 in the Montreal round-of-16.
Through the opening two games of the match, the two players were tied to one game apiece. From that moment on, there was only one player on the court – and it was the Japanese – who impressively took the next 11 games without basically giving any chance to the former world No. 11.
For Osaka, this is her first WTA 1000 quarterfinal of the year. Also, this is the first time since Auckland that the four-time Grand Slam champion has managed to win four matches in a single tournament at the main level – note, the Japanese also had five consecutive wins in May at the WTA 125 (Challenger) tournament in Saint-Malo.
Now, the 27-year-old awaits the winner of the match between No. 5 seed Amanda Anisimova and Elina Svitolina.
Osaka is looking rejuvenated in Montreal
After losing in the Washington round-of-16, Osaka made a big move and decided to say goodbye to coach Patrick Mouratoglou. But she is not alone in Montreal after quickly agreeing on a collaboration with Iga Swiatek's former long-time coach Tomasz Wiktorowski. So far, their debut has been nothing short of outstanding.
“I think with personality, I was a little nervous because he seems a little stern but he’s actually kind of funny. He’ll randomly say a joke that I wasn’t expecting or something like that. I like him a lot. I know that we’ve only played two matches, but he seems very decisive with what he wants. And I think that that makes it very clear for me," Osaka said of Wiktorowski a few days ago.
Osaka won't have an easy job in the Montreal quarterfinal whoever she faces, but she is certainly not lacking any confidence at the moment.
Anisimova Annihilates Raducanu in Dominant Montreal Performance
By Richard Pagliaro | Friday, August 1, 2025
Photo credit: Minas Panagiotakis/Getty
The rematch was a mismatch.
Crackling highly charged drives, Amanda Anisimova jolted Emma Raducanu backward like a woman stricken by surges of static electricity.
In a brilliant performance of power tennis, Anisimova routed Raducanu 6-1, 6-2 in a 64-minute thrashing to roll into the Montreal round of 16.
It was Anisimova’s first win over Raducanu in three meetings as she avenged a 6-1, 6-3 loss to the talented Briton in front of home fans in Miami in March.
In that match, Anisimova was bothered by a left wrist issue.
Tonight, Anisimova strong-armed Raducanu with disarming drives from the first point.
The Wimbledon finalist whipped deep strikes persistently pushing Raducanu corner to corner. Anisimova broke twice in a row charging out to a 4-1 lead.
rock solid performance 🤘@AnisimovaAmanda secures her place in the last 16 after defeating Raducanu 6-2, 6-1.#OBN25 pic.twitter.com/aMCq4jLlmo
— wta (@WTA) August 2, 2025
Holding for the first time 28 minutes into the match, Raducanu made a push going up love-30 in the American’s ensuing service game. Anisimova shoved her right back into place, blistering a backhand winner down the line that lashing an ace down the T as part of a four-point run to hold for 5-2.
Even when Raducanu hit her spot on serve, Anisimova was unleashing whiplash returns near the lines. A biting backhand return down the line gave the American a second set point.
Anisimova turned her hips and shoulders into a jarring return sealing a one-set lead with her third break of the set. Anisimova hit 12 winners—nine more than Raducanu—and played much of the 40-minute opener off her front foot.
That opening set was just a prelude to the powerful combinations Anisimova administered in the secodn set.
The fifth-seeded Anisimova won eight straight points to ignite a second-set surge that saw her snatch a 5-0 lead.
It wasn’t that Raducanu even played poorly, an oppressive Anisimova barely gave the Briton an opportunity to play at all. Raducanu held at 30 to deny a second-set bagel.
On a day when defending champion Jessica Pegula was upset by former US Open semifinalist Anastasija Sevastova, the 2024 finalist Anisimova was in cruise control.
Anisimova served out a commanding 64-minute conquest at love firing one final forehand winner crosscourt. The pair embraced at net afterward with both women sharing a smile over Anisimova’s brilliance.
Doha champion Anisimova will face Elina Svitolina for a quarterfinal spot.
The 10th-seeded Svitolina swept Washington, DC finalist Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-1 breaking five times in a 55-minute dissection.
Montreal: Emma Raducanu gets dismantled in 3R, while Iga Swiatek easily wins
Emma Raducanu is out of the WTA 1000 tournament in Montreal after being crushed 2-6 1-6 by Amanda Anisimova, while Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak to nine matches after making light work of Eva Lys 6-2 6-2.
Anisimova, who was beaten by Raducanu earlier this year at the Australian Open and Miami, came out determined to make a statement early on and she did so by breaking the Briton three times in the opening set. The second set was a similar story as the fifth-seeded American took the opening five games before serving out for the win in the seventh game.
In the Swiatek and Lys match, there wasn't any drama as the six-time Grand Slam champion got the job done routinely by claiming two breaks in each set. It was a clinical performance from the Polish tennis star, who faced only one break and saved it.
In the Montreal round-of-16, Anisimova will battle against Elina Svitolina, who beat Anna Kalinskaya. On the other side, Swiatek will fight against Clara Tauson – the same rival she beat en route to winning Wimbledon.
Swiatek's reaction to beating Lys
Going into their Montreal meeting, Swiatek and Lys had met twice and the Pole won both of those meetings – 6-1 6-1 in 2022 Stuttgart, 6-0 6-1 at this year's Australian Open. While the Pole gave no chance to Lys again, she insisted that it wasn't really an easy match.
“It’s always fun here. It was a solid match so I’m happy to have a chance to play another one here. The match was different from how we played each other last time. I just focused on myself and knew what my plan was, but Eva played some great down-the-lines and sometimes was really able to use her wrist and play some fast balls. It wasn’t easy, but I’m happy I just did my job," Swiatek said after her win.
Osaka to Trial Swiatek’s Ex-Coach Wiktorowski
By Richard Pagliaro | Monday, July 28, 2025
Photo credit: Julian Finney/Getty
Naomi Osaka didn’t waste time moving on from ex-coach Patrick Mouratoglou.
Former world No. 1 Osaka will begin working with Polish coach Tomasz Wiktorowski, Iga Swiatek’s ex-coach, on a trial basis starting in Montreal this week.
It’s a case of trading coaches as Swiatek currently works with Osaka’s ex-coach Wim Fissette.
The Polish website Polski Tennis reported the new partnership, confirmed by journalist Courtney Nguyen.
Under Coach Wiktorowski’s guidance, Swiatek captured four of her six Grand Slam titles. The pair parted in October of 2024 with Swiatek subsequently hiring Osaka’s ex-coach. Though Swiatek did not defend her Roland Garros championship, she made history as the first Polish player to win Wimbledon crushing Amanda Anisimova, 6-0, 6-0, in The Championships final earlier this month.
Swiatek commenced her run with Wiktorowski at the end of the 2021 season. The pair captured four of Swiatek’s Grand Slam titles during their three-year partnership, and logged 19 of Swiatek’s 22 career titles. She was previously coached by Piotr Sierzputowski, and the pair won Roland-Garros together in 2020.
“Coach Wiktorowski joined my team for three seasons, when I strongly needed changes and a fresh approach to my game,” Swiatek said after splitting wtih the Polish coach. “His experience, analytical and strategic attitude and enormous knowledge about tennis helped us to achieve things I’ve never dreamed of only a few months after we started working together.
“Our main goal was to become No.1 player in the world and coach Wiktorowski was the one who said it first. We aimed very high, we headed to every tournament with a clear goal to win it. Together with coach Wiktorowski we won many tournaments and 4 Grand Slams.”
Naomi Osaka prepares for her opening match later today ✨
Naomi Osaka se prépare pour son premier match aujourd’hui ✨#NBO25 pic.twitter.com/A31Dj1xJeo
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) July 28, 2025
Osaka announced her split from Patrick Mouratoglou, who coached her for nearly 11 months, over the weekend.
“Merci Patrick. It was such a great experience learning from you,” Osaka posted on Instagram. “Wishing you nothing but the best. You are one of the coolest people I’ve ever met and I’m sure I’ll see you around.”
Aryna Sabalenka gets candid in her YT vlog: 'So annoying… Feel like such a loser'
Aryna Sabalenka may have gone to Greece to try to relax after Wimbledon but admitted in a new vlog that she felt like "a loser" and that she couldn't fully enjoy her time in Mykonos because she still had thought about what happened at The Championships.
This year, Sabalenka appeared to be primed to finally make her Wimbledon breakthrough. But she was hit with a cold shower after Amanda Anisimova upset her in the semifinal. For the 27-year-old Belarusian, it was her third consecutive loss in the last-four stage at The All England Club.
In her post-match presser, Sabalenka didn't hide her disappointment but she also remarked that she was going to Mykonos, where she would be hard on alcohol and sweets. Now, ahead of her return to action in North America, the 27-year-old shed light on how she felt during the vacation.
Sabalenka: I'm going to be on the beach thinking, 'I am such a loser'
"I think it’s important to go and have fun and enjoy life. But it’s so f—— annoying about being an athlete, honestly. All your life depends on your result. You win and you are the happiest person that you can be. You just enjoy, life feels so good. But when you lose it’s just tough to enjoy. I am going to be there on the beach thinking it’s so beautiful, but I lost. I am such a loser. I hate myself. It’s like you are constantly living your life in these ups and downs," the 27-year-old said.
On paper, Sabalenka has had a great year at Grand Slams as she has been consistently delivering. But the world No. 1 still remains without her fourth Grand Slam title. At the start of the year, the Belarusian fell short to Madison Keys in the Australian Open final. A couple of months later, she also lost to Coco Gauff in the French Open title match.
Sabalenka will hope to at least defend her US Open title and make some amends.
Aryna Sabalenka, Citing Fatigue, Pulls out of Montreal
The World No.1 is choosing rest at the moment.
-(1).aspx "Amanda Anisimova")
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday July 16, 2025
Aryna Sabalenka will take a little more time before she starts her North American hard court season. The American announced that she’ll skip the National Bank Open in Montreal, citing fatigue.
She joins Paula Badosa [injury] on the sidelines, which means that Caty McNally and Moyuka Uchijima will enter the main draw.
“I’m looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to skip Montreal,” a statement from Sabalenka read.
Two players have withdrawn from the 2025 National Bank Open: Aryna Sabalenka, due to fatigue, and Paula Badosa, due to an injury.
Following these changes, Caty McNally and Moyuka Uchijima will now enter the main draw. pic.twitter.com/nVPHvjVthu
— Omnium Banque Nationale (@OBNmontreal) July 16, 2025
No.1-ranked Sabalenka recently lost in the semifinals at Wimbledon, falling to Amanda Anisimova, 6-4, 4-6, 6-4. The three-time major champion is 47-9 on the season with three titles, but has yet tot win a major.
The National Bank Open will move to a 12-day tournament this year, taking place from July 25 to August 6, with main draw play commencing on the 27th.
ESPN Wimbledon Audience Spikes for QF and SF
ESPN reports its Wimbleson quarterfinals and semifinals most viewed in six years.
By Richard Pagliaro | @TennisNow | Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Photo credit: Jon Buckle/ROLEX
Wimbledon quarterfinal and semifinal matches were ratings winners for ESPN.
ESPN reports the most viewed Wimbledon quarterfinals and semifinals of the past six years, the most viewed Ladies’ semifinals in a decade and the most viewed Wimbledon Day One ever on ESPN platforms.
ESPN stats from Wimbledon coverage:
The Finals:
Sunday’s Gentlemen’s Championship between Jannik Sinner and Carlos Alcaraz averaged 2.9 million viewers, +31% vs. 2024 The viewership peaked at the end of the match with 4.0 million viewers.
The match only (excluding trophy ceremony and post-match analysis) averaged 3.2 million viewers, +26% vs. last year’s match.
The Finals, Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s, coverage averaged 2.2 million viewers, +19% vs. 2024
The Saturday’s Ladies’ Final averaged 1.3 million viewers
The match only (excluding trophy ceremony and post-match analysis) averaged 1.9 million viewers, up +18% vs. last year’s match. This was a lopsided match, with Iga Świątek delivering a dominant performance over Amanda Anisimova.
Semifinals:
The audience across both the Ladies’ and Gentlemen’s Semifinals was the most viewed of the past six years Semifinals coverage averaged 1.1 million viewers, +33% vs. 2024.
The July 10 Ladies’ Semifinals
This was the most viewed Ladies’ Semifinals in a decade (the 2015 edition featured Serena Williams), with No. 13 Anisimova defeating No. 1 Sabalenka and No. 8 Swiatek’s victory over Belinda Bencic.
Viewership averaged 897,000, +31% vs. 2024.
The July 11 Gentlemen’s Semifinals This was the most-viewed Gentlemen’s Semifinals in six years, and featured No. 2 Alcaraz vs. No. 5 Fritz and No. 1 Sinner vs. No. 6 Djokovic (the 2019 edition featured Nadal and Federer). Viewership averaged 1.3 million, an increase of 34% vs. 2024.
Quarterfinals: The July 8 and 9 Quarterfinals on ESPN and ESPN2 were the most viewed in six years Viewership averaged 488,000 viewers, +25% vs. 2024.
With her Wimbledon Runner-Up Speech, Amanda Anisimova Won Wimbledon in her Own Way
The American paid heartfelt tribute to her team and family after a difficult loss, but successful journey.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday July 12, 2025
Amanda Anisimova was brutally swept aside by Iga Swiatek in Saturday’s women’s final at Wimbledon. She didn’t manage to capture a single game as the Polish juggernaut won her sixth major title, and first at the All England Club.
Swiatek’s 6-0, 6-0 triumph is the first double bagel victory in Grand Slam final history, and the Pole’s incredible level is further proof or her status as a legendary talent in our sport.
But Anisimova won hearts with her emotional runner-up speech as she gave the Centre Court crowd insight into her journey to the Wimbledon final, and how her mother played a pivotal role in her development.
“My mom has put in more work than I have honestly,” a teary-eyed Anisimova told the crowd as she paid tribute to her mother, who had flown in to see Saturday’s final. “My mom is the most selfless person I know. She’s done everything to get me to this point.”
Anisimova’s family has endured its share of hardship, as Konstantin Anisimova, the coach and father of Amanda died suddenly in 2017 when Amanda was just 17.
It was phenomenal to watch Anisimova pull herself together after a brutal loss and celebrate her journey.
"My mom's put in more work than I have, honestly." ❤️
Amanda Anisimova gave a shoutout to her mom after the Wimbledon final 🥺 pic.twitter.com/vm6W0w5F1u
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) July 12, 2025
She apologized to the crowd for talking too long, but in truth the audience was enraptured.
“I’m so happy that I get to share this moment, and for you to be here and witness this in person, you don’t get to see me live playing that much anymore, because you do so much for me and my sister, and you always have.
It would be foolish not to focus on Anisimova’s journey and the incredible effort she has put in to overcome her grief and subsequent mental health issues to become a Wimbledon finalist and a Top 10 player.
And we likely have not heard the last from the 23-year-old talent.
“I know I didn’t have enough today, but I’m gonna keep putting in the work. I always believe in myself and I hope to be back here again one day,” she concluded.
Wimbledon | Anisimova upsets Sabalenka to reach final
Amanda Anisimova, the 13th seed, produced the biggest upset of The Championships, taking out the World No 1, Aryna Sabalenka, to reach her first Grand Slam final at Wimbledon on Thursday, stunning the Belarusian, 6-4 4-6 6-4, in 31C temperatures on the Centre Court.
The post Wimbledon | Anisimova upsets Sabalenka to reach final appeared first on Tennis Threads Magazine.
WTA Post-RG Rankings: Boisson's Surge, Swiatek out of Top 5
The biggest climbers in this week's post Roland-Garros rankings.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday June 10, 2025
The post-Roland-Garros WTA rankings are full of big moves, as the Race to Riyadh takes shape and we get a more accurate picture of who is in the best shape with the second major of the year now in the rearview.
Scroll down to find out who made the biggest jump, and how the Race shapes up as of Monday’s new rankings.
Swiatek Drops to No.7
By not defending her title in Paris, Iga Swiatek drops a few spots and ends up out of the Top 5 for the first time since for the first time since February 2022. She’s still No.4 in the race so it isn’t all bad news for the five-time major champion.
Boisson’s Giant Leap
After thrilling her home country by reaching the semifinals in Paris in just her second WTA level event, Laurent Boisson enters the Top 100. She rises to No. 65, shattering her previous high of No. 152, after starting Roland-Garros at 361.
The WTA race to Riyadh standings: pic.twitter.com/Ee22DmkOKb
— TennisNow (@Tennis_Now) June 11, 2025
Zheng Top 5
Zheng Qinwen leapfrogs two spots to replace Swiatek in the Top 5. The Chinese star is back in the Top 5 for the first time since January, at her career-high.
Mboko Top 100, Anisimova Top 15
18-year-old Canadian Victoria Mboko, who came through qualifying to reach the third round on her Grand Slam main draw debut, cracks the Top 100, jumping from No. 120 to No. 91.
American Amanda Anisimova—who made her Top 20 debut in February after winning the Doha title—powers into the Top 15 this week, rising one spot for a new career high after reaching the second week in Paris.
Other Notable Risers
No. 33 Ashley Kreuger, +2 (Career High)
No. 49 Jaqueline Cristian, +11 (Career High)
No. 50 Sonay Kartal, +6 (Career High)
No. 67 Yulia Starodubtseva +14 (Career High)
No. 78 Emiliana Arango +7 (Career High)
No.92 Leolia JeanJean +8 (Career High)
No.95 Robin Montgomery +20 (Career High)
No.98 Antonia Ruzic + 3 (Career High) No.100 Mananchay Sawangkaew +9 (Career High)
Americans Land Eight in Roland-Garros Round of 16, Most Since 1985
It's been a banner year for Team USA on the Parisian clay.
By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Saturday May 31, 2025
Paris – American tennis has smashed a record that stood for 40 years at Roland-Garros. Eight Americans – five women, three men – have reached the singles Round of 16 at the French Open for the first time in 40 years.
The last time the Roland-Garros fourth round featured eight or more American players was 1985, also with five women and three men.
On the women’s side, Coco Gauff, Madison Keys, Jessica Pegula, Amanda Anisimova and Hailey Baptiste reached the fourth round. On the men’s side, Tommy Paul, Ben Shelton and Frances Tiafoe made it through.
The American men have placed three in the second week for the first time since 1995. All three Americans will be in action on Sunday in Paris, with Shelton taking on Alcaraz, Paul facing Alexei Popyrin and Tiafoe facing Daniel Altmaier.
On the women’s side, Anisimova will face Aryna Sabalenka on Sunday.
Keys will face Baptiste in an all-American clash on Monday, Pegula will take on France’s Loic Boisson, while Gauff will face Ekaterina Alexandrova of Russia.
Aryna Sabalenka: Quit Your Job
World No. 1 sends clear message to former coaches.
By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Friday, May 30, 2025
Photo credit: Clive Brunskill/Getty
Tennis is an ongoing educational experience.
Today, Aryna Sabalenka schooled her skeptical teachers.
World No. 1 Sabalenka tamed tricky lefty Olga Danilovic 6-2, 6-3 powering into the Roland Garros fourth round for the third straight year.
Three-time major champion Sabalenka, who improved to a Tour-best 37-6 in 2025, will face former French Open semifinalist Amanda Anisimova in a blockbuster fourth-round battle between two massive hitters.
Today, Sabalenka sent major message to coaches who slammed her as too “stupid” to make her mark as a pro: Quit your job.
Recalling junior coaches who questioned her mental strength, Sabalenka told those skeptics: You know nothing.
“I always been quite motivated and they didn’t have to push me,” Sabalenka said of her rise through the ranks. “But I have heard a lot [of coaches] saying I’m not smart enough, that I’m stupid, and I’ll never make it, and I don’t have anything to make it to the top.
“I guess I want to send a quick message to them to quit their job.
“Because honestly, I think they know nothing and they better quit just to save other players.”
Asked how she reacted to critical coaches claiming she was too witless to be a winner on the WTA Tour, Sabalenka said she laughed in their face.
“I was just laughing and saying: We’ll see,” Sabalenka said.
A sharp Sabalenka has surrendered just 10 games in three tournament wins this week.
Following her crushing conquest of Kamilla Rakhimova 6-1, 6-0 in her Roland Garros opener, Sabalenka shared her parents were never pushy about her career pursuit. However, the Belarusian said she saw demanding Eastern European coaches burn young players out.
“I definitely say that Eastern European school is very tough. I think that’s why whoever survive that school, they’re really tough,” Sabalenka said after round one.
On the one hand, Sabalenka said surviving her junior training made her a tougher competitor, but on the other hand she saw some fellow players broken by “brutal” coaches making punishing demands.
“I have to say that probably because of the environment and in the history of European countries, we are much tougher,” Sabalenka told the media in Paris. “Whoever got through the tough stuff, they, like, mentally and physically, they much stronger than probably, not like the rest of the world, but most of the girls on tour…
“I definitely think that the environment we have in our countries, which is like very tough and coaches are very brutal, you know, there is nothing nice about the way they, like, work with their players, they quite rude. I think that’s why maybe our mentality is much stronger, but also, the same time, they kind of like broke so many players because of that aggressive mindset.
“I think in Europe and the States, the environment is much healthier.”
Continuing her quest for a maiden Roland Garros crown, Sabalenka said she’s inspired by Grand Slam king Novak Djokovic still going strong at age 38 and was moved seeing the Big 4 reunite for Roland Garros’ royal celebration send off for King of Clay Rafael Nadal.
“Imagine if he gonna retire tomorrow, then everyone going to be sad, no? Don’t you think so?” Sabalanka said. “Then there is another like 10, 15 years to Jannik and Alcaraz to become one of the greatest. But just, you know, let him be.
“You know, it was so sad to see the ceremony, big four were on the court and you understand that three of them retired. Everyone missing their games.
“So let’s just let Novak to be there to show and fight and show his greatness and to inspire that generation.”