“Just like Serena, she has the ability to step up when needed,” that’s what former pro-Kim Clijsters said as she witnessed the commendable performance of Aryna Sabalenka at the US Open. The ongoing season made the Belarusian WTA star go through multiple challenges which affected her personal as well as professional life. However, she managed to maintain her composure with the support of an amazing team by her side. And now her coach has revealed what the Belarusian’s approach will be, moving ahead.

Aryna Sabalenka’s coach Anton Dubrov recently opened up about her future goals after the tremendous US Open victory. He acknowledged that Sabalenka still has a long way to go to match the likes of Serena Williams, who touched a massive 23 Grand Slam number in her memorable journey, and Novak Djokovic, who stands with 24 titles in his bucket. However, Dubrov still has faith in her apprentice’s potential and therefore has shared his ambitions for her. “We have our goals. Of course, let’s dream of 25 Grand Slam trophies, but now we are only looking at how to win the next one,” Dubrov said in an interview, making it clear that the team collectively aims to create history.

Sabalenka’s victory at the 2024 US Open added a memorable moment in her career. She took down the American hope bearer Jessica Pegula 7-5, 7-5 in a hard-fought final and eventually secured her third Grand Slam title and first-ever US Open crown. This win had a greater magnitude than just this as it made her the sixth woman in history to win the US Open after losing the final the previous year. The Belarusian experienced several near misses as she finished as a semi-finalist in 2022 and 2023, and runner-up in 2023. After the win, she couldn’t contain her emotions and therefore said, “I’m speechless. So many times I was close to the US Open title and finally I got it.”

However, the trail of Sabalenka’s dominance didn’t come to an end after the Slam victory. The Belarusian has remained consistent therefore extending her winning streak to 13 matches with a win over Mananchaya Sawangkaew at the ongoing China Open. This win made her the player with the most no. of wins in the WTA-1000 tournament in China since the format began in 2009. Clearly ecstatic after her victory, Sabalenka thanked the crowd for supporting her. “Thank you so much for the support. It’s really amazing to be back here. I’m happy with this win,” she said.

Coming back to Dubrov though, the aim to break Serena and Novak’s record wasn’t the only thing in the coach’s mind as he drew another cheeky comparison.

Dubrov compares the lingual disparities of Aryna Sabalenka to that of Novak Djokovic

Aryna Sabalenka’s coach also shared his thoughts on how the champ’s popularity could have been different if she were from a country like the United States. “It is true that her popularity would be greater, although now the situation is better than before,” Dubrov explained. He pointed out though that Sabalenka’s Belarusian roots have a completely unique role in her booming tennis career. “But if she had been born in America, would she even play tennis? Everything is different there compared to Belarus. Perhaps the very fact that she was born in Belarus contributed to her success,” Dubrov added.

Dubrov also drew a parallel between Sabalenka and Novak Djokovic. The Serb has faced similar challenges with fan support and media reception. Djokovic often finds himself playing in the middle of a crowd that cheer for his opponents. However, according to Dubrov, Djokovic has mastered the art of processing that energy to his advantage. “Novak had similar experiences, when everyone cheers against him. But he knows how to channel energy. It is a unique virtue,” he added.

Dubrov admitted that his apprentice is still learning to handle such situations but is making progress. “Aryna is not yet at his level, but she is improving,” he said. As Sabalenka continues to build her legacy, comparison with legends like Serena and Novak is something that adds more weight to her dominance.