Rapid fire with Sabalenka: Her toughest opponents, favorite tourney, GOAT pick and more
Though she's only 28 years old, Aryna Sabalenka has already built a Hall of Fame resume and is well on her way to becoming an all-time great (if she's not there already).
So when she reflects on her career to this point, we pay attention.
During a rapid-fire session, the World No. 1 said the toughest players she's ever squared off against on the WTA Tour Driven by Mercedes-Benz are Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek. Sabalenka played the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion just once, losing to Williams in three sets at the Australian Open back in 2021, and of course has played many epics against Swiatek. Swiatek leads their head-to-head 8-5, though Sabalenka has won their last two matches.
As for her favorite doubles partner, Sabalenka went with Elise Mertens, whom she won five doubles titles with (Indian Wells, Miami, US Open, Ostrava, Australian Open).
The best match she ever played, she said, was actually a loss -- a heartbreaking 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (7) defeat to Swiatek in the Madrid final in 2024. Swiatek saved three match points in the thrilling championship match, which lasted 3 hours and 11 minutes.
Her most memorable title is predictably a tie, between the US Open and the Australian Open. Sabalenka won her first career singles major in Melbourne in 2023, and has won both of the hard-court Slams twice.
However, her favorite tournament on the calendar isn't either of those. It's surprisingly the Internazionali BNL d'Italia in Rome, where she's a former finalist but has never won the title.
She said there are no celebrities she'd want to play doubles with, and concluded by saying that her good pal Novak Djokovic is the tennis GOAT, "no doubt."
Sabalenka is coming off a third-round loss to Sorana Cirstea in Rome, her first exit before the quarterfinals of a tournament since Dubai in 2025. Sabalenka was broken three times in the final set of the 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 loss, and took a medical timeout for what appeared to be a lower-back injury midway through the decider.
Sabalenka will next play Roland Garros, where she made the final a year ago for the first time. The French Open will start on May 24.