Storm Sanders confident ahead of first round battle with Sabalenka - "I'm more prepared than ever"
WTA
Australian hopeful Storm Sanders will be facing one of the biggest challenges in her career on Tuesday at the Australian Open, as she battles World No.2 Aryna Sabalenka for a spot in the second round.
Sabalenka has had a disastrous lead into the first Grand Slam of the year, losing in the first round of two warm-up events in Adelaide this month. Furthermore, the Belarusian has had difficulty with her serve, recording an astounding 39 double faults in both matches. Nonetheless, the second seed is still a dangerous opponent and could rediscover her form at any given moment.
Sanders, who received a wildcard to Melbourne Park, is well aware of her opponent's ability but has instead chosen to focus on enjoying the moment.
I feel like I'm more prepared than ever," Sanders told ESPN last week. "I think when the last time I played, I hadn't had that many experiences playing at a high level -- singles or doubles -- and I think I was more nervous back then than I am now.
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"Whereas now I feel like in 2021 I had a lot of matches against some really good opponents. I beat [world No. 21] Elise Mertens at the [Billie Jean King Cup in November 2021]. I feel like I'm really fit. I'm the fittest I've ever been. And I'm confident I really kind of believe in myself. So yeah, I think I'm more prepared than ever."
The 27-year old will be looking to build off her momentum, as she won the doubles title at Adelaide with compatriot Ashleigh Barty.
Growing up in a household where soccer was king, my earliest memories are filled with chants from packed stadiums and the rhythm of a ball being passed across neighborhood streets. But somewhere along the way, the quiet elegance and raw emotion of tennis pulled me in. What began as a curiosity became a lifelong passion; not just for the sport itself, but for the stories it tells: of grit, of heartbreak, of improbable comebacks and human resilience.
As a tennis writer, I bring the observational lens of someone who didn’t grow up in the sport, but fell in love with it as an outsider; a perspective that lets me see both its technical beauty and its emotional depth. Over the years working with TennisUpToDate, I’ve had the privilege of reaching more than 3.5 million readers worldwide, with one of my features ranking among the site’s top three articles.
With a background in storytelling and a creative mind always searching for meaning beyond the scoreboard, I aim to craft narratives that go deeper than results and rankings. Whether it’s a rising star breaking through or a veteran fighting off Father Time, I try to capture the heartbeat behind the headlines.
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