Tennis great foresees more hardships ahead for Aryna Sabalenka: "It will happen sooner than later"

Aryna Sabalenka's pursuit of Grand Slam glory in 2025 has once again hit a stumbling block, as questions mount over her ability to convert top-tier performances into major titles. Despite her dominance on the WTA Tour, the Belarusian star is under increased scrutiny following a string of disappointing finishes at the business end of the biggest tournaments.

The near miss at Wimbledon

Sabalenka’s campaign at the 2025 Wimbledon Championships came to a halt in the semifinals, where she was ousted by Amanda Anisimova. The defeat mirrored her previous best performance at the grass-court Slam, once again denying her a chance at the title. The setback follows a pattern seen earlier in the season—heartbreaking final losses to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and to Coco Gauff at Roland Garros.

Despite these near misses, Aryna Sabalenka continues to rack up ranking points. Her consistent deep runs in major tournaments have earned her the highest single-season point tally since the days of Serena Williams' dominance. However, tennis veterans are beginning to voice concern that her position at the top may not be as secure as it seems.

A rival closing in on Aryna Sabalenka

While Sabalenka maintains her status as one of the fiercest competitors on tour, her biggest rival, Iga Swiatek, has reemerged with purpose. After a brief dip in form earlier this year, the Polish sensation stormed back to claim her sixth Grand Slam title at Wimbledon—an achievement that may tilt the balance in the race for world No. 1.

Veteran coach and analyst Rick Macci believes Aryna Sabalenka’s reign could be nearing its end, citing Swiatek’s mental strength and advantageous position in the rankings battle.