Aryna Sabalenka vs Victoria Azarenka: Who is Belarus’ best-ever player?
Saturday proved to be Aryna Sabalenka’s day in New York, with the world No 2 capturing her first US Open title with victory over Jessica Pegula.
Sabalenka has proved her status as a great of the game and as one of the very leading players of her generation, though she is not the first Belarusian player to do just that.
Just over a decade ago, Victoria Azarenka was walking on the path that the 26-year-old is now walking on, forging her own incredible career.
US Open victory for Sabalenka has reignited a debate about whether she is now Belarus’ greatest-ever player, or if Azarenka still holds that title.
We weigh up the facts – and see who comes out on top.
Grand Slam Record
For some, the number of Grand Slam singles titles is the only statistic that matters – and Sabalenka now has the edge in that department.
The world No 2 has claimed back-to-back titles in the Australian Open the past two seasons, and now has a maiden US Open title to her name.
Sabalenka has reached four Grand Slam singles finals in total – losing the US Open final twelve months ago – and, at the age of 26, you would not bet against her adding to her tally.
Azarenka, meanwhile, matches Sabalenka in being a double champion Down Under and winning consecutive titles in Melbourne, lifting the trophy in 2012 and 2013.
However, while Sabalenka has now won a major elsewhere, those victories in Australia remain Azarenka’s only singles Slams.
She also reached the US Open final both years she won the Australian Open, but was beaten by Serena Williams in 2012 and 2013 – and was also beaten by Naomi Osaka in the 2020 final.
That does mean she has currently reached more Slam finals, and there is an argument that she would have won at least one title in New York had she faced different final opponents.
Interestingly, both have an identical best at the other two majors.
Both women have reached two Wimbledon semi-finals and one French Open semi-final, never reaching the final.
Sabalenka is unlucky not to progress further at Wimbledon, missing the event in 2022 and 2024, though Azarenka had to face eventual champions Petra Kvitova and Williams in 2011 and 2012 respectively.
Big Titles
We know Sabalenka has a slight advantage in terms of Slam titles – but if you look at big titles overall, it is a slightly different story.
Alongside her three major singles titles, she has won six WTA 1000 titles, with two Wuhan Open titles and two Madrid Open titles among her greatest success.
However, Azarenka has won an impressive 10 WTA 1000 titles – bringing her total haul of ‘Big Titles’ up to 12.
Outside of her major successes, the 35-year-old is a three-time Miami Open and two-time Indian Wells champion, completing the ‘Sunshine Double’ in 2016.
What makes her haul even more impressive is that she beat Williams, her long-term nemesis, in four of those finals.
US Open News
Weeks at No 1
Sabalenka rose to world No 1 after her run to the US Open final in 2023, and held the top spot of the WTA Rankings until the end of the season, with Iga Swiatek usurping her with victory at the WTA Finals.
Swiatek is the reason why the 26-year-old likely does not have more than eight weeks as the world No 1, proving the dominant figure ranking-wise.
The Pole has spent over 100 weeks as the No 1 player, putting her inside the top 10 of all time – not exactly making life easy for Sabalenka regarding this statistic.
In contrast, Azarenka has significantly more weeks at No 1 than Sabalenka, spending 51 weeks at the top.
Azarenka first rose to world No 1 after her maiden Australian Open win and, barring a four-week spell, held the top spot until February 2013.
However, just like Sabalenka, she could have easily spent a lot longer at the top in different circumstances.
It was Williams who dislodged her from the top in 2013 and proceeded to go on one of the best spells of her all-time great career, proving an insurmountable task for Azarenka and pretty much everyone else.
It was not just the American that Azarenka had to compete against though.
Also competing in this era was Maria Sharapova – the player who usurped her briefly in 2012 – while Kim Clijsters, Caroline Wozniacki, Petra Kvitova, and Li Na – among others – also sat towards the top of the game in this era.
This was a tough and hugely competitive era of the women’s game, and for Azarenka to have spent almost a year at the top is impressive.
Assessment
At the moment, Azarenka still has the edge – even if she is now one Slam down.
Her 21 career titles consist of her two majors and 10 WTA 1000 level victories, and winning that frequently – and spending 51 weeks as No 1 – in a strong era is a hugely impressive feat.
Though her head-to-head against Williams was lopsided, the fact that Azarenka pushed the 23-time major winner more than most is also a testament to her skill and quality in her prime.
However, you sense that Sabalenka is not too far off.
Winning three Grand Slam singles titles is not a feat to be underestimated; it puts her level with the likes of Ashleigh Barty, Angelique Kerber, and Lindsay Davenport.
With 16 WTA singles trophies, she is only five short of Azarenka’s tally, while she is not realistically too far off her number of WTA 1000 wins.
Azarenka is still ahead for now, but it feels inevitable that Sabalenka will eclipse her.
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