Aryna Sabalenka on recent struggles: "I'm not that hungry on the court"

Aryna Sabalenka opened up about what is bothering her on the court.

Aryna Sabalenka struggled during the Middle East swing of the WTA tournament. / IMAGO / Xinhua

Tennis fans can always count on seeing Aryna Sabalenka's wide smile during matches. The World No. 1 plays with an unusual sense of joy that is often not seen in the isolated and pressure-packed sport.

Yet, Sabalenka has not been herself lately. Not only is she in a slump after making it to the Australian Open finals, but she is showing signs of fatigue and frustration.

Sabalenka is far from the only top-ranked player to struggle during the Middle East swing of the WTA schedule. Coco Gauff, Iga Swiatek, and Qinwen Zheng have all suffered early exits in Doha and Dubai.

However, Sabalenka might be the most open player when discussing her issues. The 26-year-old has made headlines for her candid answers after her Round of 16 loss to Clara Tauson on Wednesday in the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships.

"I'd say that for the last couple of years, I'm not doing well in the Middle East. I believe we need to change something in the preparation," said Sabalenka. "Because every time I don't feel well playing here."

Sabalenka said that she had battled a cold in recent days, "Even health-wise I'm struggling. Australia always taking a lot of energy out of me."

Unfortunately, Sabalenka's issues stem from more than fatigue and illness, "I believe that I'm not that hungry on court. I'm kind of like all over the place in my thoughts and not consistent. The decisions I'm making on the court are a bit wrong, and emotionally, I'm not on my best."

For better and for worse, the WTA schedule is 11 months long. That means Sabalenka has plenty of time to rectify her issues on the court. Last year, she overcame a shoulder injury in the middle of the Summer and ended up clinching the WTA World No. 1 spot for 2024.

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Correction: An earlier version of this article stated Sabalenka won the 2025 Australian Open. She won the 2023 and 2024 Australian Open titles.

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