"She can't help but think about it because people bring it up": Sabalenka desperate to become World No.1 believes McEnroe

John McEnroe believes that Aryna Sabalenka is 'desperate' to become World Number One albeit mainly due to the constant chatter about it.

Sabalenka saw off Clara Burel yesterday and continues to go under the radar at the US Open without playing on Arthur Ashe.

But at most other tournaments, she has been anything but under the radar with constant chatter about the World Number One spot which has affected her seemingly. McEnroe though believes it will happen for her.

“I think she can’t help but think about it because people bring it up,” he told Eurosport. “I think she was a match away at Roland Garros, if she had won that semi-final match that could have put her temporarily at No. 1.

“Her and Iga [Swiatek] have been going back and forth for quite a while in terms of the rankings. She’s desperate to try and get over the hump and finally at least call herself at some point the No. 1-ranked player in the world. It would be absolutely amazing.”

But McEnroe is full of praise for the Belarusian for coming back from serve issues to become the World Number Two and winning a Grand Slam.

“Considering where she was a couple of years ago when she had the yips, and you’re wondering if she could ever get that serve together, I think it’s amazing what Sabalenka has done," McEnroe continued.

“Winning the Australian Open, she feels so much more confident and believes in herself now. You can feel it.”