Fire Without Control
Aryna Sabalenka's emotional intensity on court has long been a defining feature of her game, but top coach Patrick Mouratoglou believes it has now become her biggest obstacle. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the coach who once guided Serena Williams and currently works part-time with Stefanos Tsitsipas delivered a candid assessment of the world number two: managing her emotions better is, in his view, the only thing separating her from winning many more Grand Slam titles and reclaiming the top ranking.
Sabalenka's recent record in major finals makes for uncomfortable reading. She has lost four of her last five Grand Slam finals, including a defeat to Elena Rybakina at this year's US Open, a match that also cost her the world number one ranking. At last year's French Open, wind seemed to visibly unsettle her as she fell to Coco Gauff, and at Roland Garros this year she dropped 10 consecutive games against Diana Shnaider in the quarterfinals.
The Borg and McEnroe Blueprint
Mouratoglou drew a vivid historical parallel to illustrate his point, comparing Rybakina's ice-cold composure to Bjorn Borg and Sabalenka's fiery temperament to John McEnroe. The crucial difference, he argued, is that McEnroe actually played better when angry, whereas Sabalenka tends to lose her level entirely when emotions take over. Rybakina's calm, controlled approach stood in sharp contrast throughout the US Open final, and Mouratoglou believes that personality gap proved decisive.
Interestingly, US Open semi-finalist Jessica Pegula has publicly argued that Sabalenka performs at her peak when fired up, a view Mouratoglou clearly does not share. With Sabalenka now enduring her first Slam-free calendar year since 2022, the debate over her mental approach has never been more pressing. TennisDraw users tracking Sabalenka's bracket prospects will be watching closely to see whether she can find that crucial emotional balance heading into 2025.
