Aryna Sabalenka laughs off “curse” after rivals who beat her keep losing next match: “Why would you even beat me?”
WTASaturday, 08 August 2026 at 00:30
Aryna Sabalenka was presented with a bizarre statistic after her latest victory in Toronto: since Rome 2025, every player who has beaten her before the final of a tournament has gone on to lose their next match. The world No. 1 was asked whether she was aware of the trend and whether she believed there was anything behind it.
Her response was not particularly serious. Instead of worrying about a supposed “curse”, Sabalenka suggested turning the statistic against her opponents, joking that perhaps they should think twice before trying to beat her if they already know what could happen in the following round.
The Belarusian's answer came after she extended an impressive run on hard courts. Sabalenka now has 16 consecutive wins on the surface and a 25-1 record in 2026, with her only defeat coming against Elena Rybakina in the Australian Open final. She has also won all three hard-court tournaments she played before Toronto: Brisbane, Indian Wells and Miami.
The timing of the discussion is significant with the US Open approaching. Sabalenka is defending 2,215 ranking points during the North American swing, including her title in New York, while Rybakina and Mirra Andreeva continue to close the gap at the top of the rankings. Yet despite the ranking pressure, her biggest objective remains clear: avoid ending a dominant season without another Grand Slam title.
“Why would you even beat me?” Sabalenka reacts to bizarre statistic
Andrea Petkovic highlighted the unusual trend around Wimbledon, with Sabalenka's recent conquerors repeatedly struggling in their following matches. Asked whether she had noticed the pattern and whether she thought it was simply a coincidence, the four-time Grand Slam champion immediately found a humorous way to frame the situation.
“I think we just, we should put this statistic and ask the players, why would you even beat me if you know that in the next round, this is what's going to happen?” Sabalenka said, turning a statistic that could have been interpreted as a negative into another opportunity for humor.
Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka hug after match to reach the quarter-finals of Roland Garros 2026
“I think it’s a coincidence to be honest,” she said, before explaining the physical demands of those matches. “I don’t know, maybe, you know, because I feel like every match that I’ve lost recently, it’s been like three sets match."
"It was like very challenging, very tough performance matches. And sometimes if they schedule the player next day, it’s tough to pull out like really great tennis after you’ve been like playing three sets against the player. It just physically, I feel like tough to, you know, recover.”
Sabalenka eventually returned to the joke, suggesting that the statistic could even be used to add pressure to the players who face her. “We should talk about that more, just to put some more pressure on the players,” she said. The trend may be coincidental, but her own numbers on hard courts are considerably harder to dismiss.
The Belarusian has already won 25 of her 26 matches on the surface this season and has started her Toronto campaign with straight-set victories over Moyuka Uchijima and Shuai Zhang. She has also guaranteed that she will leave Canada as at least the world No. 3, while Rybakina cannot overtake her during this tournament. Sabalenka's next opponent is 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova.
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“I don’t feel old yet”: Sabalenka discusses age, experience and family plans
Sabalenka was then asked whether getting older and her plans to eventually start a family put additional pressure on her to peak at Grand Slams. The 28-year-old dismissed the idea, saying her mindset has changed since the early years of her career.
“No, not at all. You know, I feel like at the beginning of my career, I’ve been like an overthinker," the world No. 1 claimed. "So that would really put me down and put a lot of pressure on me. But recently, I just don’t like to think too much. That’s probably another problem that I’m facing, but no extra pressure.”
The Belarusian instead said that age has so far brought a greater sense of perspective rather than additional pressure. “I only feel more experienced,” Sabalenka said, before adding with a smile: “I don’t feel old yet.”
That mindset will be tested over the next month. Sabalenka has built an extraordinary record on hard courts in 2026 and remains the player to beat in New York, but she arrives at the US Open with both a title to defend and a Grand Slam season still to rescue.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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