Keeping up with Aryna Sabalenka

Tennis fans were concerned after watching Aryna Sabalenka struggle through her French Open quarterfinal match with Mirra Andreeva. The World No. 3 had physical issues that plagued her, requiring multiple medical time-outs and treatments. The normally competitive Sabalenka looked fatigued and beleaguered in the match but managed to compete well enough to push it to three sets.

Sabalenka is known for her hard-hitting but joyful personality on the court, and neither of those qualities was evident as she exited Roland Garros in a year many (like me) thought she had an opportunity to challenge Swiatek for the title.

The good news is that Aryna Sabalenka is feeling fine now. She seems able to put aside the negative stuff that happens on the tennis court to enjoy life. In this case, she went on vacation in Greece.

Vacation is over, and Aryna Sabalenka is training at Wimbledon

A healthy and refreshed Aryna Sabalenka is on the grounds of SW19 and is already hard at work preparing for Wimbledon. Sabalenka is a two-time Wimbledon semifinalist and though her greatest career successes have happened on the hardcourts of Australia, she remains a favorite on the grass courts of the All England Club.

Sabalenka was spotted smiling while practicing with Grigro Dmitrov, her good friend on the ATP Tour. When she is not with her WTA BFFs, Paula Badosa and Ons Jabeur, she is seen with Dmitrov.

She does not look like she is affected by conceding the World No. 2 ranking to Coco Gauff, but being World No. 3 is a tricky position for Grand Slam draws because she will either be in Iga Swiatek or Gauff's side of the draw. She will no longer be the top seed in her half, and should she get to the semifinals, she would most likely face Swiatek or Gauff for a chance to get to the Wimbledon final.

If she stays healthy, Sabalenka is a threat along with Gauff, Jabeur, and former champions Marketa Vondrousova and Elena Rybakina to win Wimbledon. Swiatek can muscle her way through this event and should never be counted out, but there is no doubt that her comfort level on grass is much lower than on clay where her game flourishes. Her clay court season has been extraordinary, and it is only normal to expect a letdown at some point which could happen at Wimbledon.

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