'Oh My God, that's insane': Aryna Sabalenka left stunned by one particular change ahead of Cincinnati Open

Aryna Sabalenka is set to return to the court after taking a lengthy break. The women’s world number one’s last appearance was at Wimbledon, where she lost in the semifinal to America’s Amanda Anisimova with a score of 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

Sabalenka’s next assignment is the ongoing Cincinnati Open, where she will play her opening match against former Wimbledon winner Marketa Vondrousova in the round of 64. It will be the ninth meeting between the two players. In the last eight meetings, both players emerged victorious on four occasions. Their most recent meeting came in the Berlin Open earlier this year, where Vondrousova came out on top in straight sets with a score of 6-2, 6-4.

Sabalenka will be defending her title in Cincinnati as she won the competition last year after beating America’s Jessica Pegula in the final in straight sets with a score of 6-3, 7-5. Sabalenka spoke to the media before her first match in the mega-event and shared how she was left stunned by the changes that took place in the venue in the space of 12 months.

“Oh My God, that’s insane,” said Sabalenka while speaking about the venue changes in Cincinnati. “Honestly, when I first came her, I was like what’s going on? I was like where am I? You know like it took me a little while to feel comfortable in the previous venue and now like we are in a completely different tournament. But honestly I love it so much. Its more space. You feel a bit free and the locker room is bigger. You are not like on top of another player. So its insane what they have been able to do in the last year. I am just shocked and like it.”

Changes in coaching staff

Before the start of the competition, Sabalenka made some crucial changes in the coaching staff and added the former world number one, Max Mirnyi, to the team. The competition is an important one for Sabalenka as she will be defending her crown, and it will be the last opportunity for her to prepare for the fourth and final Grand Slam of the year, the US Open, which will begin on August 24th.

Sabalenka is having a year of heartbreak while playing at the Grand Slams. Out of the three major events, she has suffered defeats in the final of two of them. At the Australian Open, Sabalenka lost to America’s Madison Keys with a score of 6-3, 2-6, 7-5. A few months later at the French Open, Sabalenka came second-best against another American player, Coco Gauff, with a score of 6-7, 6-2, 6-4. Talking about the importance of the US Open this year, Sabalenka admitted that she has learnt some ‘tough lessons’ this year and is hoping that those lessons will help her in getting over the line in similar circumstances at the Cincinnati Open and the US Open as well.

“Well I mean, I think I am pretty good this season so far in the Slams,” said Sabalenka. “Yea I lost those two finals. I learned really tough lessons. I lost in semis in Wimbledon but the consistency is there. I am missing like little part. US Open has always been my favourite slam. I am the defending champion and I love being in this position. It’s really important part of the season and I really hope that those tough lessons that I learned in the previous slams is going to help me in this one. If not in this one, then the next one. So of course its important part of the season, like a big part and that’s why I took little time off to recharge it, did a great preparation and I really hope that I am going to get on my peak at the US Open.”