Aryna Sabalenka’s Quirky Response to Fan Backfires as Stats Database Trolls Her With Factual Numbers

Aryna Sabalenka saved three match points to beat Elina Svitolina in a three-set thriller at the R16 of the Italian Open. But hold on, we’ve got bigger news than that coming out of Rome. The tennis world was taken aback by Sabalenka’s drop-shot prowess against the Ukrainian. The player who is known to be a baseliner with a powerful aggressive style of play, showcased some delicate dropshots in that match. Is she the new queen of drop shots? “Probably the first and the last time in my life“, Aryna Sabalenka gave a quirky response to a fan on this.

But is it really the first time she has tried this shot? The stats database shows a completely different story, though. In fact, it reveals she has been doing it often this season and has been quite successful with those shots. OptaAce recently put up a stat in which they claimed, “Only Yulia Putintseva (56) made more successful drop shots than Aryna Sabalenka (50) in WTA-1000 events in 2024. Expected @SabalenkaA?” Despite facing an injury issue on her lower back during the match, she kept the crowd entertained with this artistry.

Her raw power complimented by the intelligent deployment of the majestic drop shots, was extremely soothing to the eyes of the tennis lovers. There were times during the match when she used this shot out of desperation against Elina Svitolina, but nevertheless, it was a key to her success in the gruelling encounter.

But later on, with the urge of the Italian crowd, she got back to her own power game and sealed the deal in an emphatic manner. With this, she has now moved into the QF of the tournament. Next up for her is the world number 10, Jelena Ostapenko. It will be interesting to see if she gets fully fit ahead of this intriguing clash. What did she say after reaching the QF of one of her “dream tournaments”?

“I gave it all” – Aryna Sabalenka reflects on her match against Elina Svitolina

During the post-match interview, Aryna Sabalenka said, “I gave it all today, I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t leave the court. I felt like if my body allows me to play even 15 per cent of my best tennis, I’m going to stay there, I’m going to fight.” The match finished well after midnight and her injury concerns made it tougher for her to bring out her A-game. But the ‘Tiger’ doesn’t know how to give up!

She added, “I was thinking it’s a challenge to fight through whatever I had on the court. And if I’m able to fight through it then I’m a really strong person. I’m really proud of myself today.”

The Belarusian tennis star strongly believes accepting these tough challenges is very important. She further added that especially when everything is against you, it’s very important to fight these battles with a strong mindset. According to her, these types of intense matches are the perfect preparatory stages ahead of a tournament as big as the Roland Garros. Can her ‘newfound’ shot help her win her third Grand Slam title in Roland Garros this year?