Jessica Pegula, on What Makes Aryna Sabalenka a Powerhouse at the Top of the Women's Game

Posted by Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Wednesday January 15, 2025

That's no secret Aryna Sabalenka she is the best hardcourt player in the women's game right now. She has won 16 consecutive hard court majors and is bidding to become the first woman to win three consecutive Australian Open titles since 1999.

But what makes the World No.1 unstoppable? Jessica Pegulawho is also through to the third round in Australia gave her a chance after her second round win over Elise Mertens.

Where will you start? How about a feed, said the American.

“Before he had a lot of resources, but now he has a lot of control, which is very consistent,” Pegula said. “This trend that you hope will end doesn't seem to be working very well anymore.”

Then there is the footwork.

“I think his movement has gotten a lot better,” added Pegula.

Then there's his willingness to add touch and feel to his blistering power game.

“Obviously he's a player with a lot of power, he can take the racket out of your hands at times,” said Pegula. “I've seen that he's started putting a lot of pieces together, dropshots, coming to the net.”

Recent results don't lie, Pegula said. Sabalenka is raising his level and that is why he is recording a win.

“She was much better as a player,” said Pegula, who may face Sabalenka in the semifinals if she can advance to the tough stage that includes third-place finisher Coco Gauff. “I think that's why you see these results. He has improved a lot in many different aspects. Kudos to him and his team.”

Pegula says that long gone are the days when Sabalenka played softball and gave away a lot of free points when one of her shots broke. Now he's a pillar of consistency, and he's learning his game so well that he knows what decisions to make when one thing isn't shooting like it usually does.

“Before I felt like when I was playing him, you always knew something was going to go wrong, whether it was his movement or his hands or his work, whatever,” he said. “Now that doesn't happen that much. If one thing breaks, maybe he has something in his toolbox that he can start installing now that you didn't really expect.

“I think he's still a really complete player, but he also has a power game where he can be aggressive and take the game away from you, which I think is why he's been hot for a week or two. It would be quite difficult, I think, yes, he is quite a complete player right now. ”