Aggression has always been part of Aryna Sabalenka‘s identity, even while standing atop the WTA mountain. From yelling at her box to smashing rackets on court, she has never hidden her emotions. And now, rather than holding her back, that fiery edge remains one of her biggest weapons as the Belarusian top seed sets her sights on Wimbledon glory.

“See. Everyone says, ‘You have to be in control, you have to be flat with your emotions, don’t show anything,’” Sabalenka added in a recent interview with The Guardian. “And I found it was destroying me from the inside. You’re just holding so much. 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,” the Belarusian explained.

That aggressive side has been part of her game since age 17, when she started her professional career. It has never really changed over the 11 years since she turned pro.

She has often worn her emotions on her sleeve. Whether things are going well or badly, Sabalenka rarely hides what she is feeling.

Take, for example, last October at the Wuhan Open. During the SF against American Jessica Pegula, the Belarusian hurled her racket toward the player benches, narrowly missing a ball kid.

A similar storyline unfolded this season as well. Despite entering Roland Garros as the favorite to win her maiden Slam on clay, the top seed suffered a shock QF defeat to Diana Shnaider.

After that loss, former doubles No. 1, Rennae Stubbs, criticized Sabalenka’s behavior on court. “She’s yelling at her box. She’s throwing her racket. She’s throwing her arms up in the air. This is the locker room reputation that I talk about all the time,” the 55-year-old added on her podcast.

Even with the criticism in line, the Minsk native has never tried to hide who she is. “Whenever I feel like I’m holding too much, just throw the racket, yell something, let it go,” Sabalenka added.

For the 28-year-old, releasing those emotions helps her reset and continue fighting. She believes her aggression makes her a better competitor, rather than holding everything inside on the court.

While Sabalenka’s fiery attitude continues to make headlines, her position in the WTA rankings remains under pressure. Even so, the current top seed does not appear too concerned as she prepares for her 7th Wimbledon appearance.

Aryna Sabalenka is unfazed by the possibility of losing her world No. 1 ranking

Since winning the Sunshine Double in March, the current top seed has struggled to maintain the same level of consistency. Sabalenka failed to progress beyond the QF at the Madrid Open, the Italian Open, and the recently concluded French Open. 

Her Roland Garros campaign this year ended with a surprise defeat to Diana Shnaider in the last eight. As a pre-Wimbledon event, she then competed at the Berlin Tennis Open, where she reached the SF before losing to Jessica Pegula 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 0-6.

That defeat also put her in the record books, though not for a good reason. Since the WTA rankings were introduced, the Belarusian top seed became the first world No. 1 to be bageled in the deciding set at multiple consecutive WTA tour-level events.

And as the SW19 nears, her position at the top of the rankings is now under some pressure. 2022 SW19 champion Elena Rybakina is still within touching distance, with just 947 ranking points separating them. However, Rybakina must reach at least the QF to have a chance of overtaking the four-time Grand Slam champion.

Despite the rankings battle, the Belarusian insists her attention is elsewhere. “I’m focusing on myself, my story,” Sabalenka added before her opening round match. “Hopefully, by the end of this tournament, I can stay on top of the game.”

She has reached the SW19 SF three times, including last year, when she lost in three sets to American Amanda Anisimova. And this year, she returns to the Championships on Monday to face qualifier Teodora Kostovic in the opening round.

Whether she can finally reach the final this year and protect her world No. 1 ranking remains to be seen.