In Madrid, Aryna Sabalenka showcased her developing subtlety. Noticing an opportunity, she executed a perfect drop shot winner to conclude the first game against Anna Blinkova on Friday. The second game finished identically. A surprising serve-and-volley play secured Sabalenka`s fifth consecutive game.
Undoubtedly, variety is increasingly becoming a feature of Sabalenka`s powerful game. This is a key factor contributing to her ascent to the top spot in the PIF WTA Rankings.
Moving forward, these refined but increasingly significant additions – particularly, more frequent net approaches and drop shots – will be on full display at the Mutua Madrid Open. Sabalenka defeated qualifier Blinkova 6-3, 6-4 and is set to face No. 28 seed Elise Mertens on Saturday.
Sabalenka commented in her pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday that clay courts might make this easier because the pace of the game is generally slower, offering “extra time.”
However, a contrasting thought occurred to her.
Laughing, Sabalenka added that having more time is simultaneously “easier and harder because I have more time and I have more options in my head, and sometimes I get confused.”
Leading the rankings by over 3,000 points and the 2025-specific Race to the WTA Finals by more than 800 points, Sabalenka is clearly the premier player on the Hologic WTA Tour right now. Nevertheless, she readily admits she hasn`t fully mastered incorporating variety into a strategy that once relied almost exclusively on sheer power.
“It’s a learning process and I’m not afraid to make mistakes,” Sabalenka stated. “I think with time I will learn how to make the right decisions. It’s going to benefit my game. I think on the clay court, it’s like a good practice with those shots.”
The key, she noted, is making sure “you pick the right one at the right moment.”
Developing the Game
Last fall at the WTA Finals in Riyadh, Sabalenka’s coach Anton Dubrov discussed their search for new elements in her game.
He mentioned they are “trying to find somewhere we can be better.”
This remains an ongoing effort.
Two years ago, double faults significantly hampered Sabalenka`s season. In 2022, she recorded a tour-high 428 double faults, resulting in a net deficit of -179 after accounting for 249 aces. The issue was resolved after Sabalenka brought biomechanics specialist Gavin MacMillan onto her team.
In 2023, her performance improved dramatically, hitting 404 aces against 285 double faults for an impressive ratio of +119. Possibly related to this improvement, Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne and has claimed three of the last five majors played on hard courts.
And now, the current focus is literally on “moving forward” – adding net play to her repertoire.
Dubrov is aware of the common suggestions and has a rather insightful perspective.
He commented that it`s easy for people to say, “`Oh, yeah, she’s got to finish on the net,`” or “`Don’t do double faults,`” acknowledging these are indeed “good advice” and “great advice.”
However, putting it into practice is much more challenging.
Dubrov emphasized that “It’s got to be at the right time,” considering “What is the structure of the point?” He added that the player needs to have the intention “Within your mind, you have to finish the point at net.”
Statistics heading into the clay season highlight this trend. Data indicates a consistent increase in Sabalenka’s net approaches over the years.
Observing the steady rise in her net approaches, Dubrov smiled when presented with the data from 2021-24, calling it “That’s a big jump.”
While it`s early in 2025 with Sabalenka having played only 30 matches, the 2024 statistics are revealing. In 2024, only three players – Tatjana Maria, Marta Kostyuk, and Leylah Fernandez – had more successful net approaches. Other players consistently moving forward and winning points at net include Elena Rybakina, Beatriz Haddad Maia, Jasmine Paolini, and Coco Gauff.
How Variety Enhances Power
This increasing adoption of forward play is particularly gratifying to tennis legend Martina Navratilova.
The 18-time Grand Slam singles champion was a pioneer of aggressive net play in women’s tennis. One of her frequent observations is frustration when powerful players fail to capitalize on their strength by ending points more swiftly at the net. She has cited Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka – the two players consistently ranked at the top for over three years – in this context.
How significant is the addition of this tactical element to Sabalenka’s game?
Navratilova deemed it “huge” because, at the elite level, “the margins are so small.” She explained that by not moving forward, a player allows the opponent to recover in the rally, effectively requiring the point to restart. By advancing and executing the correct shot, a player “improv[es] the odds of winning the point” and, consequently, the match. She concluded, “Every little bit helps.”
She contrasted the attempt to hit a shot with the decision to move forward, stating, “But moving forward or not, that’s a choice.” Navratilova noted Sabalenka’s improved volleying and increased variety, saying that while having significant power is great, adding variety makes that power “pay off even more.”
Jessica Pegula, who faced Sabalenka in the Miami Open final, has also noticed this development.
According to Pegula, Sabalenka “is moving a lot better, and I think being a little bit more creative on court.” She feels it’s no longer just about Sabalenka`s power; “it’s a lot of these other things that she’s doing better that maybe used to be weaknesses.” Pegula summarized by saying Sabalenka “just all around has stepped up a lot of things.”
Carolina Garcia, another power player known for her aggressive style, commented that modern fitness levels provide players with unprecedented court coverage. Garcia noted that the sheer force of shots from players like herself and Sabalenka often leads to opponents returning shorter balls, creating chances to finish points at the net.
Garcia explained that moving to the net “It’s quite useful… because you are winning a lot of time on your opponent.” She added that it’s sometimes easier because the ball is “a little bit higher to the net, so it’s easier to finish” compared to letting it bounce, which slows the ball down and increases the risk when attempting powerful shots again.
Therefore, she considers it “always quite a good way to finish the point.”
This strategy is likely to be even more prominent in the future.
Dubrov confirmed it`s “still in process,” estimating it’s currently around “like 50, 60 percent.” He noted it`s “not there yet,” but adding “say five percent [more approaches] every half year, it’s huge.”
Mastering the Drop Shot
After winning the title in Wuhan last year, her third consecutive title after a four-year absence from that event, Sabalenka discussed the evolution of her game.
She stated she has “improved a lot,” mentioning her ability to “come to the net and… finish point and then I can use my touch.” She feels she has gained “some variation in my pocket,” having reminded herself that if a powerful shot or slice isn`t suitable, she should “hit drop shot, come to the net.”
She added that she was “just reminding myself that I have a lot of weapons, not only hitting the ball.”
Sabalenka noted that while she could practice the drop shot effectively, the challenge was incorporating it into actual match points. Last year, during a match against Elina Svitolina in Rome, she used the shot out of necessity, already suffering from a shoulder injury that would later force her to withdraw from Wimbledon.
Speaking in Madrid, Sabalenka recalled that due to the injury, her “only option for me was to finish the point as soon as possible.” She decided, “`You know what, I’m going to go for the drop shots.`” She concluded that “I think the best training is training on the match,” realizing after that particular match, “`Oh, actually it’s working, probably we have to work on that shot more often.`”
She humorously remarked that five years ago, she would have laughed if told she would learn this shot, believing, “`I don’t have touch. I’m so bad at it.`” Now, she feels she has “this shot in my pocket.”
The element of surprise is crucial in elite sports, including tennis. Examples include serving wide when a center serve is anticipated, or hitting crosscourt instead of down the line. When Sabalenka`s powerful shots force opponents far behind the baseline, the drop shot provides an effective alternative.
Sabalenka explained that when she sees an opponent “is really way far behind,” her thought is, “`OK, I’ll just make them move.`” She expressed her genuine happiness at having “finally, finally I learned this shot.”
She admitted that having “kind of have control” over the shot is “crazy to say, to be honest.” Concluding, she stated, “Yeah, that’s just good to have, isn’t it for me? For me, not for my opponent.”
Rupert Caldwell