The Important Lesson Sabalenka Learned About Finals
Sabalenka has a negative finals record in 2025 of 4-5. But she has learned to better mentally manage these important matches.
Aryna Sabalenka has played 9 finals this 2025 season. However, she has a negative record, with 4 wins and 5 losses.
In comments gathered by ESPN Brasil, the Belarusian revealed a mindset issue explaining these losses.
"Reaching the final does not guarantee victory"
She stated: "I understood that simply reaching the final does not guarantee victory. Yes, you are in the final, but that doesn't mean you are going to win. Yet, at every decisive match early in the season, I felt like everything was playing in my favor.
I won titles, but I also suffered many defeats because my expectations were too high and the pressure was too strong when things went wrong."
A lesson that paid off at the US Open
After two consecutive losses in Grand Slam finals at the Australian Open and Roland-Garros, Sabalenka finally won the US Open by defeating Amanda Anisimova.
She explained: "So I learned to approach every match with a hunger for victory, without knowing what was going to happen, and to overcome difficulties each time.
I think that's what allowed me to lift the US Open trophy: my mindset was different from that of my two previous Grand Slam finals."
