Aryna Sabalenka pictured – Photo Getty Images
Aryna Sabalenkaworld number two, came to Wimbledon 2024 as one of the main favourites for the title. However, the Belarusian player wanted to dampen expectations, revealing that she is not in top physical shape.
During the London Grand Slam Media Day, Sabalenka honestly shared her condition: “I’m very happy to be back, it’s an incredible place,” he began. “What happened to me at Roland Garros was a very tough experience, I suffered a lot. It took me about five or six days to recover. I took a lot of medicine to help my stomach. It was quite difficult. It took six days before I could train again.”
After overcoming the stomach problem, physical problems arose for Sabalenka. “I am not 100% physically. We are doing everything we can to make sure we play the first match here, but no, I am not 100% prepared,” the Belarusian explained. “It is really frustrating. I have never had a serious injury. It is already a lot what I am going through now. The last month has been very challenging, I have been struggling with a lot of pain. It is also a mental battle, you have to find the positive side.”
Sabalenka revealed she has a teres major problem in her shoulder, a rare injury in tennis. “I can do everything, train, groundstrokes, but I suffer with my serve, it’s very annoying. You don’t feel like you’re injured,” she added.
Despite the difficulties, the Belarusian remains hopeful that she can compete at her best. However, she stressed the importance of not jeopardizing the rest of the season.
Commenting on the current level of the women’s tour, Sabalenka said: “I think tennis is reaching the next level, everyone can beat everyone. We can all win a Grand Slam, the level has increased. It’s something really crazy to think, there is no favorite except Iga, especially on clay. In general, there is no one who dominates the tour so much.”
Federico Di Miele
