For a considerable period, there was a widely held belief that Aryna Sabalenka had a preference for playing exclusively on hard courts. However, while she does derive a great deal of enjoyment from hard courts, she has recently made a fascinating admission that she actually feels more comfortable on clay. The Belarusian initially rose to prominence as a player who excelled on hard courts, utilizing a hard-hitting style reminiscent of Serena Williams that proved to be too overwhelming for her opponents to handle on this particular surface. Consequently, she became renowned for her exceptional performances on hard courts.
Nevertheless, over the course of her career, Sabalenka has demonstrated her proficiency on all types of tennis surfaces, even though her most outstanding results have still been achieved on hard courts. Notably, she clinched her debut Grand Slam title, as well as her second major, on a hard court. Both triumphs occurred in Melbourne, although she also reached the final of the US Open. It is worth mentioning that Sabalenka has never contested a Grand Slam final on any surface other than hard courts, but she genuinely relishes playing on alternative surfaces as well.
In fact, she was genuinely perplexed by the prevailing narrative suggesting that she does not appreciate anything beyond hard courts. During an interview with the media at the 2024 Canadian Open in Toronto, Sabalenka openly confessed that she may actually prefer clay courts over hard courts. This admission came as a surprise to many, especially considering her earlier remarks in which she acknowledged that clay was not the most suitable surface for her style of play. Nonetheless, she now finds the red dirt to be particularly appealing.
“I thoroughly enjoy playing on clay courts. I am uncertain as to why people hold the misconception that this is not my preferred surface. To be honest, I probably feel more at ease on clay than on hard courts. However, in terms of results, I am undeniably more successful on hard courts (laughs).”
Admittedly, clay tennis does somewhat dampen the intensity of her game due to the higher bounce of the ball, which theoretically provides opponents with a greater opportunity to return her powerful shots. Yet, in practice, she still manages to overpower most players due to the sheer force behind her shots. The increased bounce actually enables her to unleash her shots in the manner she desires, thereby benefiting her to a certain extent.
“Yeah, I mean, clay court tennis is an entirely different ball game. It entails lengthier rallies, necessitating the construction and conclusion of points. This is undoubtedly advantageous when transitioning to hard courts, where points tend to be shorter and faster. Moreover, from a physical standpoint, one generally feels better after playing on clay courts, as the extended rallies contribute to an enhanced physical ability when subsequently competing on hard courts. I suppose this is the main takeaway from my experiences on clay courts – an improvement in my physical capabilities.”
Overall, the specific playing surface is not a matter of great concern for Sabalenka. She does not dwell too much on this aspect since her exceptional skills extend to all types of surfaces. Whether it is clay, grass, or hard courts, she is consistently favored to emerge victorious against the majority of opponents across all three surfaces. Ultimately, winning is the primary objective, and following her victories over formidable opponents like Iga Swiatek on clay, the playing surface holds little significance for the former World No. 1.
Photo from Aryna Sabalenka Instagram
