US Open: Aryna Sabalenka makes up for lost time

She was away from the Tour for almost two months — June and July. When she started in San Jose in August, she took her time finding her feet despite the work she had put in on the practice courts. Sabalenka, the world No. 6, spent weeks working on her game, calling it ‘another pre-season’. Her gym in Miami, where she spent long hours preparing for the American hard-court swing, was telecasting Wimbledon. Sabalenka turned off the television each time she entered the facility.

The Belarusian, who had her Grand Slam breakthrough at Wimbledon in 2021, making the semifinals in London, said, “I couldn’t watch (Wimbledon), it reminded me of what a great time I had there. I worked a lot in that period. I had a lot of good memories from there, and I miss it very much. That’s why I wasn’t able to watch it.” Sabalenko refused to debate on the All England Lawn Tennis Club’s stand. “I’m just an athlete,” she said. “I have nothing to do with politics. I’m trying to play my best and make sure that people enjoying watching my matches.”

Sabalenka, 5-feet-11-inches tall, who saw off match points against Estonia’s Kaia Kanepi in the second round here, coming back from a set and 1-5 down to advance, said sitting out of Wimbledon had given her extra motivation. “They took away one opportunity from me,” she said, “I worked really hard for this one.”