The reigning U.S. Champion, who is frequently called “the American sweetheart,” has been rapidly climbing the stairs of success. But is Coco Gauff‘s rising stardom overshadowing another talent? Ted Robinson, an insider’s comments sparked some debate as the Italian Open heats up. Siding with Aryna Sabalenka, the American sportscaster shed light on why focusing on the “American pride Coco” has made everyone ignore the great “story of Sabalenka”.

According to Robinson, the personal and professional growth of Aryna Sabalenka is what makes her “not just a tremendous player but still a positive presence and a positive force.” He took the “serving glitch that derailed her significantly a few years back” as an example and reminded the tennis world how Sabalenka struggled with a staggering number of double faults and her serving disaster back in early 2022. Especially during her Australian Open that year, where she even started having an underarm serve as she was unable to hit a serve in play. Check out the table that compares Gauff and Sabalenka’s career stats:

Early 2022 was a reality check for Sabalenka. Coming off semifinal runs at the previous year’s US Open and Wimbledon, her struggles with the “serving yips” were a bitter pill to swallow. Her powerful serve, once a weapon, became unreliable. In Adelaide, she racked up a staggering 39 double faults across two losses, showcasing a level of tentativeness that wouldn’t have missed the Yarra River from a bridge.

Despite salvaging some wins at the Australian Open, her serving woes remained a significant concern. It got to the point where, Sabalenka said, “I was just like, ‘Please, someone help me to fix this (expletive) serve.’ I’m sorry for swearing, but this is how it was.”

But later on, the turning point in her career came when she took the responsibility to improve on her own. Following her 2024 Australian Open semifinal win over Magda Linette, Aryna revealed how she became her own analyst. “To be honest, I decided [during the pre-season] to stop working with a psychologist. I realized that nobody other than me will help, you know… Yeah, I’m not working with psychologist any more. I’m my psychologist.” And it indeed brought a significant change to her game as she eventually won two consecutive Australian Open titles in 2023 and 2024. 

However, like her professional career, Robinson also pointed out “the personal stuff that rose to the forefront in Miami this year”. Her ex-boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, tragically died in Miami in March. In a social media post, the two-time Australian Open champion called the death of the ex-NHL player an “unthinkable tragedy.” And understandably, it took a mental toll on her.

But her fighting spirit didn’t waver. She continued her battle both on and off the court. Noting all these changes, Robinson concluded, “I don’t know that you can give that story enough credit”.

Nevertheless, Aryna Sabalenka continues to show her prowess on court after having an amazing Madrid Open experience.

Aryna Sabalenka is “super happy” with her Madrid Open performance

Aryna Sabalenka might have had a difficult journey this year, but on-court she is fierce and aggressive. Showcasing her incredible power and resilience, Sabalenka made history in Madrid after competing for 3 hours and 11 minutes in the finals against the World N0. 1 Iga Swiatek. The 26-year-old, who failed to earn her third title in Madrid, admitted, “I’m happy with the level I played, with the effort I put into this match and into this week.”

Sabalenka further acknowledged the difficult phase that she went through after winning her second Australian Open title earlier this year and the bounce back from there. “I think after the Australian Open, I struggled for a couple of months. It’s been intense. It was tough to find myself back. But I’m super happy that here in Madrid I was able to bring it all together. And to be able to get back to my level. I think it only can get better from now on.”

As she moves with better spirits in her next tournament of the Italian Open, like Robinson, we all hope she gets the credit that she deserves.