While the results may indicate she has made relatively uneventful progress, Sabalenka admitted earlier in the tournament that she was “in emotional trouble all over the place.”
It has been an issue that has at times derailed her pursuit of the sport’s biggest prizes and she has been working with a psychologist to improve that aspect of her game.
Sabalenka lost two Grand Slam finals last year, first to Keys in Melbourne before making 70 unforced errors in the French Open showpiece against Coco Gauff.
Breaking two tight tie-breaks against Anastasia Potapova in the third round was something Sabalenka accepted that she may not have had the mental fortitude to achieve five years ago, while she would likely be “focusing too much on how she feels”.
Still, Sabalenka’s impressive consistency at recent major tournaments (she has reached the semi-finals at 14 of the past 17 majors she has competed in) means she feels at home on the business side of Grand Slams.
Not least when she plays on hard courts, where she has won her past six major semi-finals.
“It’s incredible what I’ve been able to achieve. What really helps me to always be there is the focus I have,” Sabalenka said.
“The mentality is the same, it is always in your head that you want to win. But I try to shift my focus to the right things and take it step by step.”
#Australian #Open #deny #Aryna #Sabalenka #title #Melbourne