The remarkable growth and development exhibited by Aryna Sabalenka can be attributed to a challenging adolescence, as revealed by her former coach, Maciej Domka. Domka, a former Polish tennis player, shared some insights into the past of the 25-year-old Belarusian in an interview with the Polish media Sport.Pl. He explained how Sabalenka was emotionally unstable and fragile during her younger years.
Domka became a part of Sabalenka’s team when she was 17 years old, joining her during her training at the Academy of former tennis player Uladzimir Walczkou in Minsk. Although she had her own individual coach, Vadim Sashurin, who focused on her physical preparation, Sabalenka trained alongside Domka and his group.
During her time at the academy, Sabalenka exhibited a strong work ethic and determination. She trained intensively and stood out for her diligence. However, she faced limitations in her tennis skills and initially struggled to achieve success in smaller tournaments.
From a personal standpoint, Sabalenka faced difficulties as her parents were absent from her training sessions. Her father had legal issues, leaving her to navigate these challenges on her own. Domka believes that this internal motivation pushed her to excel and succeed in order to support her father financially. Her anger and negative energy were channeled into her winning shots on the court.
Over the years, Sabalenka has undergone significant mental growth and transformation, largely due to the support of her team. In her youth, she was emotionally unstable, but she worked with a psychologist who helped her immensely. Her strong team, with a positive mindset, also played a crucial role in her development.
There came a pivotal moment in Sabalenka’s career when everything fell into place. She transformed from a talented player with inconsistent performances to an absolute champion. Despite struggling to mature and fulfill her potential for several years after joining the WTA Tour at the age of 19, Sabalenka experienced a breakthrough. This was attributed to a change in coach and significant mental growth. Her accomplishments include winning two Grand Slam titles and claiming the top spot in the WTA rankings, challenging the dominance of players like Iga Swiatek.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org