Why Everyone’s Talking About Aryna Sabalenka Right Now – Inside Her Meteoric Rise and What Comes Next

Aryna Sabalenka steps onto the red clay of Roland-Garros this week carrying the momentum of a record-equalling third Madrid Open crown and a newly solidified status as world No. 1. Sabalenka arrives in Paris on a high A dominant European clay swing—18 wins from 20 matches, including victories over Coco Gauff and Elena Rybakina—has transformed Sabalenka from a perceived hard-court bully into a genuine clay specialist. Her 2025 break-point conversion rate on the surface (46 %) and average first-serve speed (114 mph) both top the WTA Tour’s clay statistics, underscoring a game that now marries raw power with controlled point construction. Opening test against Rakhimova The Belarusian opens her campaign against Russia’s Kamilla Rakhimova, a baseliner she has beaten twice without dropping a set. Sabalenka’s camp views the matchup as a chance to “set the tone early,” focusing on depth to Rakhimova’s backhand and aggressive second-serve returns that produced nine return winners in their last meeting. Rivalry with Swiatek looms large While Sabalenka has lifted three of the last five majors, world No. 2 Iga Swiatek still owns Paris, and their head-to-head stands at 6-5 in the Pole’s favor. A projected final would be their fourth championship clash in the past 12 months, a rivalry that has delivered average rally lengths of just 3.9 shots—proof that first-strike tennis is likely to decide the trophy. Clay-court evolution in numbers • Average topspin on forehand: 2,750 rpm in 2025 vs. 2,100 rpm in 2023 • Net approaches per match: up from 4.2 to 7.6 • Unforced errors per set: down 18 % year-on-year Sabalenka credits offseason work with coach Anton Dubrov, who introduced slide-and-hit drills and drop-shot patterns that paid immediate dividends during her Monte Carlo semifinal run. What a Roland-Garros title would mean Victory would make Sabalenka the first Belarusian to win the French Open singles title and extend her lead atop the WTA rankings to more than 2,000 points. It would also bolster her bid for the year-end No. 1 and position her as the odds-on favorite for Olympic gold on the same courts in July. How to follow Sabalenka’s quest • Match times: Day sessions begin 12 p.m. local (6 a.m. ET); night sessions 8:15 p.m. • Broadcast: Tennis Channel (U.S.), Eurosport (Europe), TSN (Canada) • Live streaming: Roland-Garros official app and participating broadcaster platforms With confidence soaring and the clay-court data finally matching her ambition, Aryna Sabalenka enters Paris not just as a contender but as the player every rival wants to avoid in the draw.