"If something has gone wrong, she takes the responsibility": Aryna Sabalenka praised for loyalty to team by former World No.1 Dinara Safina
WTA
Former World No.1, Dinara Safina was left marvelling at the Australian Open champion, Aryna Sabalenka during her run over the last fortnight in Melbourne. In particular at her mental fortitude and also for keeping peace and not getting rid of members of her team when it goes wrong.
Sabalenka in particular struggled with her serve previously so much so that she could hardly toss the ball in the air and was often reduced to tears. She reworked her motion and has since become unstoppable.
“The way she handled herself speaks to her strength of character, how loyal she is to her team," Safina said as per Tennis.com. "If something has gone wrong, she takes the responsibility. She doesn’t blame others and I think the way she treats people shows that she has a very big heart.
“I think she changed as a person. She has found a balance where she is happy inside and isn’t struggling emotionally. Even if she loses a match, she’s still smiling and not taking it personal. She’s able to understand that she can have a bad day and still give 100% the next match. It’s not killing her from the inside.”
“There will always be people in your career telling you that you’re doing the wrong thing," she continued. "In the end, you start doubting yourself, and this is the worst thing. I was looking at her, and wondering how she would respond to that kind of doubt.”
“There were always those nerves in Australia from not having had so many matches under your belt,” she continued. “You want to do well, especially if you had a good pre-season. You’re thinking how much you want to start the season with good results, but if you’ve had a bad week before Australia, you’re even more nervous!
“That’s the thing about the Australian Open, that extra pressure that comes with wanting to do so well, so either you do well or you do very bad!”
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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