Aryna Sabalenka’s Instagram account is a vibrant world. You get a window into her professional craft but also so much more. Cheeky humour, her love for fashion and travel and the close bonds that sustain her life off-court. Sabalenka appears authentic, real and warm. She is also the best women’s tennis player in the world, leading the rankings by over 2000 points.
The 27-year old defended her US Open title last month, the first woman to do so since the legendary Serena Williams in 2014, firmly establishing herself as the front-runner on the women’s circuit. Of the 11 slams Sabalenka has played in the last three years, she has won four, reached three finals, three semifinals and one quarterfinal.
Despite leading the rankings all year, 2025 had been challenging until the starry night in New York. Sabalenka had lost in the final at both the Australian and French Opens. A crushing defeat in the semifinals at Wimbledon to Amanda Anisimova, a loss she avenged in the US Open final, meant Sabalenka’s season threatened to end without a major trophy. Patting herself on the back for “handling the emotions” as experts wondered if she could erase those memories, Sabalenka said she was “super proud” to triumph against a player that had home crowd support.
“I thought that everything was going to go easily my way, which was a completely wrong mindset,” she described her thought process ahead of previous finals. “Going into this final, I decided for myself that I’m going to control my emotions.”
Yet, even as Sabalenka puts a bit of daylight between herself and the chasing pack, the looming question is if she can truly dominate the women’s circuit. Since 2020, 11 different women have won a Grand Slam singles title, and while that has highlighted the depth of the playing field, it has left fans thirsting for compelling rivalries that draw them in. While over on the men’s circuit, the era of the big three has made way for a fascinating twohorse race between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have shared the last eight majors between them, the women’s circuit isn’t quite showcasing a similarly collar-grabbing storyline
Iga Swiatek, who won Wimbledon t h i s year and has six Grand Slam titles already at just 24, presents the strongest potential to build a fierce rivalry with Sabalenka in the years to c o m e . Although she is second in the rankings, Swiatek endured an incons i s t e n t s e a s o n , with the title r u n a t Wimbledon the one bright spot in a year that she failed to make the final at any of the other majors. Swiatek also leads Sabalenka 8-5 in their career head to head, and has the power and nuance in her game to make consistently deep runs at big tournaments.
Other Top-10 players such as Coco Gauff, who has two Grand Slam titles at 21 and Anisimova, who made two major finals in 2025, are among those who could cross swords with Sabalenka and Swiatek over the next few years, giving fans a sense of anticipation and curiosity.
“If we look back 10 to 15 years, there were so many top players at once. You always knew that starting from the quarterfinals; every single match would be phenomenal,” observed 2008 French Open Champion Ana Ivanovic in a recent interview. “Now, that is a bit lacking. We often see players in semifinals and finals who are there for the first time. I believe that’s something this new generation needs to build in order for women’s tennis to regain the popularity it once had.”
In Aryna Sabalenka, women’s tennis has an athlete that combines exceptional ability with a captivating public persona. As she looks to build her legacy, the sport is waiting on those in her taillights to consistently counter-punch and ignite passionate fan bases that thrive on these sport defining intense rivalries.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com)
The 27-year old defended her US Open title last month, the first woman to do so since the legendary Serena Williams in 2014, firmly establishing herself as the front-runner on the women’s circuit. Of the 11 slams Sabalenka has played in the last three years, she has won four, reached three finals, three semifinals and one quarterfinal.
Despite leading the rankings all year, 2025 had been challenging until the starry night in New York. Sabalenka had lost in the final at both the Australian and French Opens. A crushing defeat in the semifinals at Wimbledon to Amanda Anisimova, a loss she avenged in the US Open final, meant Sabalenka’s season threatened to end without a major trophy. Patting herself on the back for “handling the emotions” as experts wondered if she could erase those memories, Sabalenka said she was “super proud” to triumph against a player that had home crowd support.
“I thought that everything was going to go easily my way, which was a completely wrong mindset,” she described her thought process ahead of previous finals. “Going into this final, I decided for myself that I’m going to control my emotions.”
Yet, even as Sabalenka puts a bit of daylight between herself and the chasing pack, the looming question is if she can truly dominate the women’s circuit. Since 2020, 11 different women have won a Grand Slam singles title, and while that has highlighted the depth of the playing field, it has left fans thirsting for compelling rivalries that draw them in. While over on the men’s circuit, the era of the big three has made way for a fascinating twohorse race between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, who have shared the last eight majors between them, the women’s circuit isn’t quite showcasing a similarly collar-grabbing storyline
Iga Swiatek, who won Wimbledon t h i s year and has six Grand Slam titles already at just 24, presents the strongest potential to build a fierce rivalry with Sabalenka in the years to c o m e . Although she is second in the rankings, Swiatek endured an incons i s t e n t s e a s o n , with the title r u n a t Wimbledon the one bright spot in a year that she failed to make the final at any of the other majors. Swiatek also leads Sabalenka 8-5 in their career head to head, and has the power and nuance in her game to make consistently deep runs at big tournaments.
Other Top-10 players such as Coco Gauff, who has two Grand Slam titles at 21 and Anisimova, who made two major finals in 2025, are among those who could cross swords with Sabalenka and Swiatek over the next few years, giving fans a sense of anticipation and curiosity.
“If we look back 10 to 15 years, there were so many top players at once. You always knew that starting from the quarterfinals; every single match would be phenomenal,” observed 2008 French Open Champion Ana Ivanovic in a recent interview. “Now, that is a bit lacking. We often see players in semifinals and finals who are there for the first time. I believe that’s something this new generation needs to build in order for women’s tennis to regain the popularity it once had.”
In Aryna Sabalenka, women’s tennis has an athlete that combines exceptional ability with a captivating public persona. As she looks to build her legacy, the sport is waiting on those in her taillights to consistently counter-punch and ignite passionate fan bases that thrive on these sport defining intense rivalries.
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this column are that of the writer. The facts and opinions expressed here do not reflect the views of www.economictimes.com)
You may also like
Fugitive Rashid Cablewala, an aide of Hashim Baba, detained in Azerbaijan
16th judge, 2nd in 2 weeks, exits Chaturvedi case
MBBS student 'gang-raped' in West Bengal, friend held
Helicopter crashes in California's Huntington Beach; 5 injured - watch
X-factor for CXO jobs: Tackling turmoil, companies seek leaders skilled in managing disruption amid global uncertainty
