Sabalenka credits mental improvement for Miami title and other successes

Aryna Sabalenka gave credit to her improved mentality following Saturday’s triumph in Miami, where she defeated Jessica Pegula in the final.

Aryna Sabalenka Aryna Sabalenka (James Gourley/Shutterstock/SIPA)

Aryna Sabalenka won all six of her matches in straight sets without even being pushed to a single tiebreak on her way to a maiden Miami Open title. Saturday’s final against Jessica Pegula, however, was far from easy despite the relatively routine 7-5, 6-2 scoreline.

Sabalenka twice gave back a break in the fist set, including a failure to serve it out at 5-3. However, the world No 1 stayed calm and after each disappointment responded with some of her best tennis. She eventually survived the roller-coaster opening frame of play and then pulled away in the second without too much trouble.

Both on-court and off-court adversity is nothing new for the 26-year-old, and she thinks those experiences have allowed her to better deal with any stressful situations that arise in matches.

“When I’m missing the shots it brings a lot of frustration and angriness,” Sabalenka admitted during her post-match interview at the Tennis Channel desk, “but when you go through really difficult challenges, after overcoming them you become a really strong person. Every time you’re out there facing different challenges, you just keep reminding yourself, ‘come on, you’ve been through a lot and you can handle that. Just keep focusing on yourself and your game. Even if it’s not going your way, you’ll be able to fight your demons and overcome them.'”

That’s not say, of course, that the Belarusian has completely eliminated all negative emotion. For example, she destroyed a racket after losing the 2025 Australian Open final to Madison Keys.

Especially in the middle of matches, however, Sabalenka’s mentality has most definitely improved in recent years. It is part of the reason why she has won three Grand Slams, all since the start of 2023.

I think it was the first year when I won Australian Open, I just realized a lot of things. And since then I’m a different person, a different player.

That first major title at the Australian Open two years ago is where things really started to turn in a positive way. In 2022, she had advanced past the quarter-finals at only one slam and also did not reach the final at any Premier 1000 event. After winning Down Under in January of 2023, Sabalenka went on to reach at least the semi-finals at every other Grand Slam that season and also triumphed in Madrid.

“I struggled a lot in the past with a lot of different things, so I went through really different challenges,” she reflected during Saturday’s post-match press conference. “I was struggling with my serve so much. I couldn’t serve for a while, so I had to play without the serve. And I think that was the moment when I realized that I actually have other weapons in my game and strengths, and I can actually win the match even if my serve is not working.

“Then one day, yeah, I just decided (that) whatever happens on the court, I’m not going to show my emotions. I went through a lot, and there is much more difficult stuff in life than just tennis match, so I was like, ‘okay, whatever happens, I’m not going to show any emotions. I’m done with that. I’m not going to be that kid who’s getting frustrated and losing the matches.’

“So it worked really well. I think it was the first year when I won Australian Open, I just realized a lot of things. And since then I’m a different person, a different player. (The) mental part of the game, it was a huge improvement.”

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