Aryna Sabalenka sympathises with young first-time Grand Slam winners, says she would 'struggle for years'

Aryna Sabalenka says she sympathises with young first-time Grand Slam winners and would have been “struggling for years” if she had lifted her first major as a teenager. Sabalenka had lost in three Grand Slam semi-finals before winning the Australian Open at the age of 24 earlier this year. Ad There have been several younger first-time Grand Slam champions over the past few years.

WTA Dubai‘I’m just human’ – Swiatek defends herself from fans’ high expectations28/02/2023 AT 11:24 Emma Raducanu won the 2021 US Open as an 18-year-old, two years after Bianca Andreescu had lifted the same trophy at the age of 19. Sofia Kenin was 21 when she won the 2020 Australian Open. All three players have struggled with various issues since winning their maiden Grand Slam and none have managed to repeat their successes and win another big title.

“I’m really glad that I won my first Grand Slam at this age,” said Sabalenka after beating Barbora Krejkicova to reach the Indian Wells quarter-finals. “Because I felt like if I would be 18 years old to win the Grand Slam, then I would be struggling for years. “I kind of understand that, yeah, that’s happened and that was my dream.

It was an amazing moment, but time to move on. It’s another tournament, it wasn’t the only one goal. Swiatek ends Raducanu's run to reach Indian Wells quarters Gauff holds nerve to beat Peterson in last 16 “So that’s why, for me, it was not easy, but I have this understanding that no matter what, I have to keep going, keep fighting, and keep showing my best tennis if I want to keep winning.