WTA Finals Player Profile: Aryna Sabalenka

Current Ranking: 1

W/L: 53-12

Titles: 3 (Adelaide, Australian Open, Madrid)

Grand Slam Record: 23-3

WTA Finals Appearance: 3

Best Result: Finalist (2022)

Aryna Sabalenka, Hall of Famer. That’s what happens when you add a Grand Slam title and the No. 1 ranking to your growing resume. Her maiden major victory Down Under in January put to rest any doubts her game was Slam worthy. But she didn’t stop there. She rode her heavy, roundhouse strokes and dominating serve to the semifinals or better at all four majors. None of her competitors can make that claim.

A couple of tweaks to Sabalenka’s game seem to have made all the difference. First, she’s experienced something of an attitude adjustment. Sure, she’s still animated and shoots daggers at her box when things aren’t going to plan. But now she rarely allows negative emotions to highjack a match. The other noticeable improvement has been the greater reliability of her second serve. She remains capable of flare ups, but appears to have gotten those ugly double-digit double-fault matches under control.

And yet, with all her accomplishments, there’s still a “what if” aspect to Sabalenka’s season. She had a match point in her semifinal loss at Roland Garros (Muchova), and squandered set leads in both in her semifinal loss at Wimbledon (Jabeur), as well as the US Open final (Gauff). All matches seemed hers for the taking. A great year could have possibly become one of the greatest. Sabalenka also hasn’t won a title since May in Madrid, a run of eight tournaments. That said, capturing Cancun would bookend and punctuate a career-defining season.

Grab Sabalenka’s Gear

Wilson Super Tour Red 15 Pack ($104) (Purchase now at TennisShop.com)

Pro players take a ton of stuff with them to the court. So they need a bag capable of accommodating all the racquets, clothes, food, drinks and whatever else they may need over the course of a long match. Sabalenka carries Wilson’s Super Tour, which has three main compartments, two with Thermoguard technology, capable of housing up to five frames each. Two large molded exterior side pockets with internal dividers store smaller gear and accessories. A zippered, ventilated tunnel can keep shoes or dirty clothes separate. Adjustable padded backpack straps provide comfortable transport when lugging around all these necessities. The bag comes in Wilson’s iconic red and white coloring.