Aryna Sabalenka, the trailblazing tennis star, launched her Indian Wells tournament with a victory and a defiant message to her competitors. Emerging victorious with scores of 7-6 (4) and 6-3 against the promising McCartney Kessler, Sabalenka affirmed her mental resurgence since her heartbreaking defeat at the Australian Open Final. She signalled her renewed hunger for victory, warning her rivals that she’s back in her prime.
The world-ranked number one tennis champion fell short in a thrilling final at Melbourne Park against Madison Keys. This denied her a coveted spot on the elite roster of athletes who have accomplished an Australian Open triple victory. Her subsequent performance in the Middle East tournaments was lukewarm, recording just one win and two losses, which was uncharacteristic of her.
Despite her victory against Kessler not being explicitly compelling, it’s crucial to acknowledge the formidable challenge posed by the American starlet. Kessler, who had just clinched a runner-up position in Austin the previous week, was indeed a tough contender for Sabalenka’s opening match.
“I’m more driven than I was in the Middle East. The season is still young, so it’s hard to evaluate my performance so far,” commented the three-time Grand Slam winner, clearly signalling her renewed vigour for the game.
At the onset of the Middle East tournaments, Sabalenka suffered an unexpected loss against Ekaterina Alexandrova in Doha. She managed to score a win over Veronika Kudermetova in Dubai, only to be overpowered 3-6 2-6 by Clara Tauson in her subsequent match.
Reflecting on her rollercoaster performance, Sabalenka confessed that her mental state during those tournaments wasn’t at its best. However, she assured her fans that this was now a chapter of the past.
“Recovering from the Australian Open final was indeed a tough task. It was a challenging period, and I found myself constantly revisiting that match in my thoughts. It may have been my downfall, but it was a necessary journey. I had to reassess, learn, and start afresh. Now, I’m definitely in a better place, and the Australian Open final is history,” she elaborated.
In the third round of Indian Wells, Sabalenka is set to face Lucia Bronzetti, an opponent she had comfortably defeated twice in the previous year. This forthcoming match will undoubtedly illuminate whether Sabalenka’s renewed hunger will be enough to fuel her towards another victory.