Her path to the title deserves respect," says Vesnina about Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam in 2025 at the US Open, after two final losses at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros.

Despite her position as world number one and the race leader, the Belarusian's year has not always been full of success.

Speaking to the media outlet Championat, Elena Vesnina reflected on Sabalenka's journey: "Any other player would say it's an incredible year. For Aryna, it is, but two lost finals severely affected her confidence and mental state.

She also lost in the Wimbledon semifinals to Anisimova in a tough match where she had every chance to win. But in the US Open final, it was a completely different Aryna.

She didn't give in, didn't get frustrated, and kept her focus throughout the match. Sure, there were mistakes, but the pace and speed of the girls' play were incredible!

They played wide and close to the lines. It's difficult for opponents to recover from such shots. Her path to the title deserves respect.