Aryna Sabalenka’s recent US Open decision could help her defend her title

And with a comfortable lead at the top of the WTA rankings, it’s a decision she can make without worrying about her position.

Explaining her choice, Sabalenka said: “I’m looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I’ve decided it’s in my best interest to skip Montreal.”

Fatigue was cited as the main reason behind her withdrawal.

While others are chasing court time on hard surfaces, Sabalenka will take advantage of some rest and recovery before returning fully refreshed and ready to compete again.

If she doesn’t win this final Grand Slam of 2024 though, she would join an unwanted list with John McEnroe and Lindsay Davenport – both players who finished world number one without winning a major that year.

Aryna Sabalenka could do with a rest after a tough past few months

Even though Sabalenka has enjoyed plenty of success recently, it hasn’t been without its challenges.

After her run to the French Open final, the fallout from her post-match comments about Coco Gauff drew even more attention than the match itself, with heavy criticism from the media.

By the time things had calmed down ahead of Wimbledon, she suffered another setback by losing in the semi-finals of a tournament where many had picked her to win.

A break in July could be just what she needs, giving her time to recharge and come back refreshed.

This time off could help her return to New York both mentally and physically ready for another shot at success. In hindsight, taking this break might turn out to be exactly what she needed to lift another trophy.