Aryna Sabalenka sent Wimbledon warning after ‘huge red flag’
Patrick McEnroe believes alarm bells should be ringing for Aryna Sabalenka ahead of Wimbledon following some “very shocking” results recently.
World No 1 Sabalenka has dominated women’s tennis the past two years and starts just about every Grand Slam as the favourite, but she only won the US Open last year while so far this year she finished runner-up to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open and lost in the quarter-final at Roland Garros.
The Belarusian appeared to be cruising against Diana Shnaider at the French Open as she won the opening set, but then slumped to a 6-3, 5-7, 0-6 defeat in windy conditions in Paris.
After a short break, she made her return at the grass-court Berlin Open and, after needing three sets to beat teenager Nikola Bartunkova in the quarter-final, she lost 4-6, 7-6 (7-4), 0-6 against Jessica Pegula in the next round.
ESPN analyst McEnroe says he is concerned about the manner in which Sabalenka has lost her recent matches, as he explained why she could struggle to win the title at Wimbledon.
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“I think it’s a huge red flag for Sabalenka. She’s lost the last two matches 6-Love in the third. I find that very shocking, especially for a player with her kind of firepower,” he said during an ESPN press conference.
“I think Zverev had a great comment about if someone asked me, you got a great serve, you got a great return, you hit the ball hard, how come you haven’t done well at Wimbledon. He just kind of laughed and said, ‘That has nothing to do with it. It’s all about movement, all about movement, and being comfortable on the grass.’
“I think Sabalenka has done better over the years. I would say she’s a slightly better mover comparably to Zverev on the men’s side. That’s why guys like [John] Isner and the big guys, he had the one run when he made the semis, but look at Isner, how come the guy can’t win Wimbledon? It’s all about quick movement, the athleticism.”
Sabalenka reached the semi-final at the All England Club last year before she was stunned by Amanda Anisimova.
2022 Wimbledon winner Rybakina is McEnroe’s player to beat as he described her game as “the purest” on grass.
The American added: “I think Rybakina is a favourite because of the way she hits the ball. I think she’s a little more comfortable with her movement, even though she’s tall, like Sabalenka. I think she feels more comfortable moving. I think she’s got the purest grass court game of anyone out there on the women’s side.”
