"Aryna was alone in all this": Former coach of Sabalenka details childhood struggles and wanting to 'stand out at all costs'
WTAThursday, 15 February 2024 at 14:00
Aryna Sabalenka has risen to the top of women's tennis and sealed two Grand Slams amid a backdrop of resilience and as revealed by her childhood coach, Maciej Domka went through a backdrop of struggles.
In particular Domka said that her father who she previously said she wanted to win multiple Grand Slams before she was 25 for was undergoing legal issues and her parents did not show up for training so she was alone in her pursuit for greatness.
But despite this being the case, Domka said that she wanted to stand out and leave a lasting impression with that inner motivation to succeed always being there amid a backdrop of pain and anger. This worked with Sabalenka becoming World No.1 and a multiple Grand Slam champion and also battling through demons with her serve in particular to come out the other side as one of the best which is underlined by her former coach describing her as a young talent.
"No, parents did not show up for training. From what I know, her dad had some legal issues. Aryna was alone in all this. I have the impression that this was also her internal motivation, pushing her forward," said Domka to Sport.pl.
"She wanted to stand out at all costs. It could be read that dad had problems and she wanted to help and start earning money."
"There was a lot of anger in her. She converted all her negative energy into strokes. Plus the incredible intensity in training that I have already mentioned. Her power to hit the ball was gigantic, full power in every play. And so she was able to train from Monday to Saturday."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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