Everyone can improve at what they do professionally or as a hobby. It is when one believes they can't that the growth stops. For WTA No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, she wanted to find a way to get better at returning serves, so she asked Novak Djokovic how to do that.
Speaking with the First & Red podcast, Sabalenka understood what one of her weaknesses was. She could definitely overpower most opponents with her serve, but once she played against a player of the same level, issues began. This has been the case against Elena Rybakina and Coco Gauff at times.
The Belarusian explained she sought out Djokovic for how to be better at returning serve: "He said, 'Well, first of all, (I have) a specific stance.' I tried it, and it really made it easier for me to react. Plus, he said, ‘I focus on myself; I just try to do a split-step and then react.’ Also, you can often see where the opponent is serving, or you get a feel for it. So, that was the advice! Ever since then, he’s been like, ‘You’re copying me.’ Well, it’s sort of like copying the best. His technique helped me."
Aryna Sabalenka sought the assistance of Novak Djokovic in getting better
Indeed, Djokovic is arguably the best. Sabalenka could also steal ideas from Serena Williams, Chris Evert, Rafael Nadal, and Roger Federer. Maybe she has, and she should. Good artists borrow, but great artists steal, of course. Both the Belarusian and Serbian are great at what they do. The only way to improve is to look at what other greats do.
For anyone watching Sabalenka in the last few years, she does indeed bend a bit more when returning serve. Has it helped? Maybe. In 2025, she was 48th (45.6 percent) on tour in terms of percentage of return points won. In 2021, when she was still trying to rise to the top ranking, she was 75th (44.6 percent).
In 2026, while the Belarusian is clinging to her top ranking and is just around 500 points better than WTA No. 2 Rybakina, the percentage has fallen to 44.7. Is it a coincidence that she made at least the semifinals of every major in 2025, and won the US Open for the second straight year, but hasn't made it that deeply in a Grand Slam in 2026 except for the Australian Open? Likely not.
While Aryna Sabalenka will remain fantastic when it comes to serve efficiency for the foreseeable future, the ability to return serve often separates great players from elite players. Unless the Belarusian can begin copying Novak Djokovic in style again, she might have already peaked as a player.
Ironically, she is 28 years old, 11 years younger than Djokovic, who still makes the semis at every major.
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