‘She Would Scream’ – Hot Headed Aryna Sabalenka’s Wide Range of Emotions Explained by Fitness Coach

A good craftsman doesn’t blame their tools. But if breaking rackets becomes an art, then tennis players can be deemed Picassos at it. They are often seen smashing rackets and screaming at the umpires just to take their anger, frustration, and disappointment out of their minds. Recently, Aryna Sabalenka was also seen in a similar fit of rage and smashing her racket after a second-round defeat to Ukraine’s Anhelina Kalinina at the 2024 Miami Open. But, like a dedicated team member, Sabalenka’s fitness coach, Jason Stacy, was quick to justify her actions.

Recently during the episode of  ‘Lead on Purpose’ with James Laughlin, Stacy opined how it’s better to express emotions than to try to suppress them. “There are times when she would scream. She gets rid of her emotions because she needs to have that release,” Stacy said about the Belarusian player. 

He also went on to reveal how he and Anton Dubrov (Aryna Sabalenka’s head coach) sometimes try to bring out her emotions purposely by making her frustrated. Stacy said how Sabalenka used to fail at controlling her emotions in the early stages of her career. Initially, they struggled a bit to understand her. But later on, he said, “It’s like, ‘Alright, she’s an emotional person’, and we’re not going to make that stop. That would be ridiculous. It’s not going to work, alright.“

The fitness coach insisted that, “For her actually the yelling and screaming, sometimes smashing rackets is like, ‘Now we’re ready. This is good’. We get excited and it’s like BOOM, ready to go. Get that out of your head. Get out of whatever f*ck that you’re in.” So, it’s more like Ready to Roar mode for ‘The Tiger’. On a similar note, during an interview a few months ago, Jason Stacy had revealed how important it is to keep a light-hearted atmosphere within the team.

Aryna Sabalenka’s fitness coach reiterates the need for a perfect atmosphere

During the AO this year, fans witnessed how Jason Stacy gets inked on his bald head by Aryna Sabalenka during her matches. This was definitely a show of loving camaraderie among team members. The fitness coach iterated the importance of this atmosphere, and said, “I think it’s crucial. It’s an important key element to any performance, to development. As you guys know, it’s all year nonstop, just pressure, pressure, pressure, attention, attention, trying to get better, trying to get better. I think it’s good to have that mix. Which again, allows her to have that outstanding balance of emotional control.“

Even Anton Dubrov highlighted the fun-loving character of the Belarusian player. He spoke about how they always try to keep a balance of fun and discipline inside the camp. This is perhaps one of the main reasons that Sabalenka looks more calm and composed on the court than in her initial days. What are your thoughts on tennis player’ taking all their anger out on their most precious tool?

READ MORE: Aryna Sabalenka Becomes Former Tennis Player’s Latest Favourite for Making Radical Changes to Her Game