“It was so stressful”: Aryna Sabalenka reflects on her surprising challenge before China Open
WTATuesday, 29 September 2026 at 20:00
Aryna Sabalenka is preparing to begin her Asian swing at the China Open, with the world No. 2 returning to competition after reaching another Grand Slam final at the US Open. The Belarusian will enter the final part of the season already qualified for the WTA Finals, but with plenty still to play for in the ranking battle.
Sabalenka spoke to the media ahead of the Beijing tournament, reflecting on her recent experience at Fashion Week in Milan as well as the difficult period she had to overcome before reaching the US Open final. Her appearance on the runway came during a rare break from tennis and offered the 28-year-old a very different experience from her usual life on tour.
The US Open run was particularly significant after Sabalenka had struggled physically and mentally during the clay-court and grass seasons. She finished 2026 with two Grand Slam finals but no major title, losing to Elena Rybakina at both the Australian Open and US Open.
Despite that, Sabalenka has maintained an extraordinary level of consistency on hard courts. She has now reached the final at all eight hard-court Grand Slam tournaments played at the Australian Open and US Open from 2023 through 2026, winning four titles and finishing runner-up at the other four.
Sabalenka reflects on her Milan experience
Asked about her time in Italy and her runway debut, Sabalenka admitted that the experience was far more stressful than anything she normally encounters on a tennis court, although the excitement afterwards made it worthwhile.
“It was so stressful, but also I experienced amazing excitement and happiness after I did it. It was completely different from what I do in life but it was one of my dreams and I felt like another dream achieved,” Sabalenka said. “It was pretty big for me and I really enjoyed my time in Milan.”
The experience came at the end of a demanding period for Sabalenka, who had to rebuild both physically and mentally before producing another deep run at a major. She had reached the Australian Open final earlier in the year but lost to Rybakina, and her US Open defeat to the same opponent meant she ended the season's four hard-court Grand Slams with two titles and two runner-up finishes across the eight-event stretch dating back to 2023.
Sabalenka believes the work she did before New York was crucial to getting back to her best level.
“I have to say that of course the end of the US Open wasn't the way I expected it to be but I'm still super proud of the work that has been done and the way the season was going since Clay Court,” she said.
“If someone would tell me after Wimbledon that you'll be able to get to the final, the US Open, I wouldn't believe because I really struggled physically and mentally to get back in my tough mindset and I'm super proud that I was able to build myself back mentally and physically.”
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina pictured after Elena Rybakina wins the 2026 Women’s U.S. Open
China Open starts Sabalenka's Asian swing
Sabalenka now returns to the court in Beijing, where she has reached the quarter-finals three times. The China Open represents the first of two WTA 1000 tournaments she will play during the Asian swing, with the Wuhan Open following in October.
Wuhan has been particularly successful territory for Sabalenka. She is a three-time champion at the tournament and reached the semi-finals in 2025, giving her a 20-1 record at the event. Her only defeat came against Jessica Pegula in last year's semi-final.
The world No. 2 therefore has two significant opportunities to collect points and put pressure on Rybakina at the top of the rankings. After losing the US Open final, Sabalenka surrendered the No. 1 position to the Kazakh, but the gap remains a central storyline heading into the final weeks of the season.
Aryna Sabalenka — US Open 2026 run
| Round | Opponent | Opp. ranking | W/L | Score |
| R128 | Camila Osorio (COL) | 59 | W | 6–2, 6–4 |
| R64 | Polina Iatcenko (RUS) | 160 | W | 6–1, 6–1 |
| R32 | Kamilla Rakhimova (UZB) | 92 | W | 6–3, 6–4 |
| R16 | Taylor Townsend (USA) | 96 | W | 6–4, 6–3 |
| Quarter-final | Linda Noskova (CZE) | 6 | W | 7–6(1), 3–6, 7–6(7) |
| Semi-final | Jessica Pegula (USA) | 3 | W | 7–5, 6–2 |
| Final | Elena Rybakina (KAZ) | 2 | L | 4–6, 7–5, 2–6 |
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Sabalenka has already secured her place at the WTA Finals for a sixth consecutive year, giving her additional security as she approaches the closing stretch. Her focus, however, is on rebuilding the level she showed in New York and carrying that momentum into the Asian swing.
“I want to get back in my mindset and I want to get back at my level. I feel like since the US Open I've been building up so I'm just excited to bring a great fight and to build myself back,” she said.
With China and Wuhan ahead, Sabalenka has the opportunity to strengthen her position in the rankings while continuing one of the most remarkable hard-court Grand Slam runs in women's tennis. Her Milan adventure may have taken her briefly away from the court, but the next challenge will be entirely familiar: producing another strong finish to the season against the players competing for the biggest titles and the top ranking.
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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- No more bullshit "Wildcards" to these two. Qualify like everyone else -- there will be cameras there, too. Time to scream... WTF ????!!!!
mandoist29-09-2026 - Let's not BS the general public -- Sabalenka started showing cracks in her game last season. Her losses and near-losses started at about the same time she began being distracted by Fame (constant Selfies, making TV commercials, magazine shoots, endless Social Media nonsense, etc., etc.) One would think even Saba could recognize the parallels with others who failed before her -- Raducanu, Giorgi, Bouchard to name a few.mandoist25-09-2026
- Gross!! Hey Raducanu, Girogi, and Bouchard -- reserve a seat at your Social Media Selfie table for Saba + Naomi. They're heading in your direction soon enough.mandoist24-09-2026
- And then these same players will complain about how lengthy their season’s were and need more time-off. I’m all for more tennis but the amount of tennis we get now is actually kind of crazy! We all need a break, especially the players.DaveyWavey23-09-2026
- You should do a comparison article for "different kinds of justice" the courts decide for tennis players. I can think of at least three players who received very small bans of a few months, however Tara Moore has been fighting for her literal survival the past few years. It seems odd considering she is not a "name" player, unlike the other cases.DaveyWavey22-09-2026
- PRIZE MONEY & POINTS Winner - $185,500 Finalist - $114,500 Semi-Finalist - $66,003 Quarter-Finalist - $35,000 Round of 16 - $18,045 Round of 32 - $13,005 Winner - 500 Finalist - 325 Semi-Finalist - 195 Quarter-Finalist - 108 Round of 16 - 60 Round of 32 - 1DaveyWavey20-09-2026
- Pegula withdrew from this Singapore event
tennishappens19-09-2026 - Serena Williams chose her tournaments. It's not such a bad idea.MuswellHillbilly17-09-2026
- This child is just too fragile. Step away from tennis for a year. Get healthy, get fit; train hard;ranking be damned, and come back as strong contender. Anisimova did it. So can Emma.Rapunzel17-09-2026
- Double standards, what can be said!? Venus is p**ing on media and public. Can't face defeat. Cowerdness! Shouldn't be given any other wild cards ever. That's gross disrespect.DragosJacob16-09-2026
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