Aryna Sabalenka is having the kind of season that many players desire. With four titles already under her belt, including two Grand Slam victories, she’s on a blazing path toward dethroning Iga Swiatek as the World No. 1. Her dominance on the court has captured everyone’s attention, and it’s no surprise that tennis legend Jimmy Connors has joined the chorus of praise. But here’s the twist—while Connors is quick to applaud Sabalenka’s remarkable achievements, he didn’t stop at the usual compliments. In true Connors fashion, he threw in a comparison that’s turning heads.

The American tennis veteran engaged in an interview with Brett Connors for the October 16th episode of Advantage Connors. The duo deliberated on a wide range of factors including the recently concluded Shanghai Masters and Wuhan Open. Engaging in the discussion, Jimmy heaped praise on the Belarusian star and compared her to none other than the World’s No. 1 ATP star Jannik Sinner. 

Speaking in the interview, Connors said, “She is on kind of a semi-Sinner role. The year that she has had also has been pretty amazing. Two slams I mean.” Brett was quick to highlight that her accolades are also similar to Sinner’s and said, “And the same ones as Sinner got.” Jimmy further emphasized his point calling this an “interesting” happening. While Sabalenka has clinched 4 titles this season, Sinner has proved his mettle on 7 occasions so far. 

However, what captured the attention is the dominance that both players have demonstrated on the hard courts. Both, Jannik Sinner and Aryna Sabalenka emerged victorious in the Australian Open, the Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open. Their latest campaign came at the Shanghai Masters and the Wuhan Open respectively, where both players witnessed triumph yet again. Interestingly, this is not the first time when Jimmy has heaped praises on the star player and has compared her achievements to her male counterparts. 

During an interaction on the same podcast in September following Sabalenka’s win at the US Open, Connors highlighted her powerful game. “She doesn’t really choke on her serve anymore. Her game is powerful. There’s a stat I think, after four, five rounds in the tournament, that the biggest forehand miles per hour was Sabby, even with the men. Like 90 miles an hour something per forehand,” he shared. However, Connors is not the only veteran who is lauding the Belarusian star.

Aryna Sabalenka’s on-court gesture against Coco Gauff received praise from Rennae Stubbs

Aryna Sabalenka is not just receiving praise for her skills and tenacity on the courts but also for her remarkable spirit against her opponents. Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, also took notice of Sabalenka’s admirable qualities, highlighting that there’s more to this star player than meets the eye.

Speaking on the October 15th episode of The Rennae Stubbs Podcast, the former player and tennis coach recalled Aryna Sabalenka’s gesture for Coco Gauff during the post-match interview at the Wuhan Open. “She was like, ‘You know, I have been there; I know what it feels like. And once she gets that out of her system or figures out a way to get the serve in the court, she is going to be the best player.’ She further highlighted the impact of these statements on a young player like Gauff. 

“If I am Coco I would have been like ‘Oh Damn! If this player who is arguably best player in the world right now thinks that about me and has been at the same place as me, has been in that same place, thinks that way.’ That was a really great moment in sports for being a generous opponent.” Remember, Gauff shot 21 double faults while playing against Sabalenka, which made her visibly upset after the match. It was at this moment when Sabalenka tried to cheer her up and called her one of the best players in the arena. 

As the season evolves, it would be crucial for the Belarusian star to keep her dominant performance intact to gain the World No. 1 spot. Can she yet again prove her dominance in the WTA finals in Riyadh? Well, only time will tell.