Aryna Sabalenka is the top player in the world right now. She wants to win Wimbledon. People often get her wrong.
She thinks folks label her a mean person because of her features. She has played in three semifinals there. She wants the big trophy now.
She is actually a fun person. She loves to laugh. But fans see a cold face. They think she is rude.
Even Paula Badosa felt that way at first. Then they became best friends. 'When we met, I was like, "Oh, I thought you were a bitch!" And she's like, "I thought you were a bitch, too!"' Sabalenka told The Guardian.
They realized they act the same way on the court. 'I was, like, "Well, I guess that’s not true, so we can be friends." She’s, like, "Yeah, we’re actually quite similar." I guess it's just the attitude that we carry on court.'
She knows her look is tough. 'When you see me for the first time, you're probably going to think I'm a bitch because of my Slavic face,' she explained.
She keeps a straight face a lot. 'When I'm walking with this flat face and no emotions, I can look very aggressive.'
It is just how she is. 'When you get to know me better you understand that it's just something I was born with.'
She struggles with her temper. 'Even if sometimes you see me getting emotional or yelling at my box, it's something that I need,' she explained.
She has a plan with her team. 'It's something that we spoke about with my team; that whenever I feel like I'm holding too much, just throw the racket, yell something, let it go.'
She tries to stay steady. 'Now I'm in better control, but, of course, still I do things that I’m not proud of.'
Some want players to be quiet. She disagrees. 'Everyone says you have to be in control, you have to be flat with your emotions, don’t show anything. And I found it was destroying me from the inside.'
She needs to vent. 'So I asked my team to be OK with me yelling at them; like, just throwing this aggression to someone that can handle it, just so I can continue fighting on the court.'
She and Jannik Sinner are pushing for more money. Wimbledon pays more now. But the players want a bigger share of the cash. 'We do it for the tour, we don't do it for ourselves,' Sabalenka said.
It is about the future. 'We do it for the rest of the players who are suffering to even hire a coach. It's not an easy life for lower-ranked players.'
Sabalenka’s openness about her internal struggles highlights a growing trend of athletes prioritizing mental health over traditional stoicism. By normalizing the need to express anger, she is challenging the tennis establishment’s rigid expectations of behavior. This labor dispute regarding prize money suggests that top stars are increasingly willing to use their leverage to secure a more sustainable financial future for lower-ranked peers.
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