When a teenage Aryna Sabalenka was told by legends like Ashleigh Barty to trust herself during her 2018 Australian Open campaign, she listened. Five years later, in 2023, she was back in Melbourne, and this time, she looked like she meant business. Sabalenka stormed to her first Grand Slam title at Rod Laver Arena, and that was just the start of her journey to World No. 1. If there’s one thing Sabalenka has mastered, it’s picking herself up when things don’t quite go to plan.

So, with her form now under the microscope after a string of early exits, the Belarusian isn’t running from the pressure. She’s ready to rebuild once again.

“That’s the beauty of the sport. Throw tough challenges at me, I will come back only stronger,” said Sabalenka in her press conference ahead of the US Open.

“It wasn’t the best period. I don’t wanna defend myself. But obviously, I just don’t want to talk about that period. I’ve been dealing with several things. But who cares, right? I didn’t perform my best.” The Belarusian then elaborated on her struggles and her plan to bounce back.

“These tough lessons are definitely gonna make me way, way stronger. I’m working even harder. I work on my mental side of the game. I was trying to reset my mind and to come back stronger. It’s only gonna make me stronger. It’s only a matter of time for me to come back,” she added.

While Sabalenka hinted at off-court struggles, the Belarusian’s on-court form and on-court demeanor have often been under the spotlight in recent months. Before winning the title in Miami, Sabalenka had a 23-1 win-loss record, which then dropped to 17-7 after her Cincinnati loss.

However, Sabalenka has already shown tremendous mental resolve in her career, having suffered heartbreaking personal losses. The World No.1 lost her father in 2019, and then suffered from the passing of her ex-boyfriend, Konstantin Koltsov, in 2024. Both times, the Belarusian took refuge in tennis and used it to overcome her personal battles.

While she kept her personal life private at the press conference, Sabalenka’s problems on the court have been visible to everyone. The Belarusian’s struggling form has cost her victories against the likes of Hailey Baptiste, Diana Shnaider, and Sara Bejlek.

Notably, the emotional energy that Sabalenka brings to her matches has served her well in the past, helping her go past the tough moments in the match, but that same energy seems to be hampering her in crucial moments, such as making unforced errors in the Wimbledon tiebreak against Naomi Osaka. Criticisms from former players do not help the cause, as Boris Becker and Johanna Konta have seriously questioned her ability to concentrate and dominate the field once more.

It’s not like Sabalenka has not attempted to find any solutions to her struggles, as the Belarusian went back to a recovery option that she had previously let go of.

Aryna Sabalenka Changed Her Stance on Professional Help to Find Solution to Her Struggles

Back in 2022, when Sabalenka was struggling with double faults and her overall on-court mentality, the Belarusian chose to take responsibility for herself to improve, rather than seek external guidance from a psychologist, whom she later let go. The step seemed to work at the time, as she won the Australian Open in 2023 and began her dominant run on the WTA.

However, the Belarusian is not resistant to changing stances, as her recent struggles saw her seek professional help. This one step shows that the World No.1 does not want to leave any stone unturned in her attempt to recover her mental edge and form back on the court.

In fact, back in 2018, Sabalenka may have walked away from her Australian Open opener with a loss, but Ashleigh Barty walked away thinking she had just seen something special. The then-teenage Belarusian had pushed Barty enough to leave an impression, and the Australian star later shared a telling thought with her coach Craig Tyzzer: “If Aryna really learns her game and her style and trusts that and backs herself, then there’s not going to be many people that can stop her.”

Sabalenka clearly took those words to heart. She went back to work, sharpened her game and, five years later, returned to Melbourne looking like a completely different player, lifting her first Grand Slam title at Rod Laver Arena.

And now, despite all the criticism, if there’s one place where Sabalenka is hoping to rebuild herself, it’s rather a familiar territory: the US Open. Since 2021, the Belarusian has at least reached the semifinals in New York, playing in the final in the last three seasons. She’s a two-time defending champion and is attempting to do something last achieved by Serena Williams.

The top seed is all set to begin her campaign against Camila Osorio in the first round, and will have the potential challenges of Barbora Krejcikova and Diana Shnaider before the quarterfinals. The Belarusian will need to hit the ground running and hit top form before she gets into the latter rounds to have a deep run in the tournament, something that will have a bearing on her No.1 ranking as well.