Sabalenka Has Machine-like Consistency - But She's No 'robot'

US Open 2025 women's semi-finals

Venue: Flushing Meadows, New York Date: 5 September (00:00 BST)

Coverage: Live power commentary connected 5 Live Sports Extra and BBC Sounds, positive unrecorded matter commentary connected nan BBC Sport website & app

Aryna Sabalenka has produced a consistency astatine nan Grand Slam tournaments which is unrivalled successful nan women's game.

With a powerful style translating crossed tribunal surfaces, nan world number 1 has made 12 semi-final appearances successful her past 13 awesome tournaments - pinch nan latest coming erstwhile she faces Jessica Pegula astatine nan US Open connected Thursday.

But here's nan kicker - Sabalenka's inclination to combust astatine a captious juncture intends only 3 of those person resulted successful titles.

None of nan 27-year-old Belarusian's runs astatine this year's fields person ended pinch nan trophy.

In nan Australian Open final, French Open last and Wimbledon semi-finals, an erratic level has led to devastating defeats.

Sabalenka's past awesome trophy came erstwhile she hit Pegula successful nan New York last 12 months agone and, successful a bid to get complete nan statement again, she has brought 10-time doubles Grand Slam champion Max Mirnyi into her team.

"Everything fluctuates successful life," Mirnyi, speaking aft Sabalenka's believe astatine Flushing Meadows connected Wednesday, told BBC Sport.

"We're not machines, we're not robots, right? As bully arsenic immoderate of nan professionals are successful their fields, they’re still human.

"It comes down to being good, but not ever perfect. A tennis lucifer is very reliable to make perfect.

"But it's OK - she's getting to nan second stages of Slams consistently, which makes america judge she is putting herself successful nan position clip and clip again to triumph it."

When Sabalenka cannot find a measurement to triumph - peculiarly successful nan biggest moments - she admits it is because she is known to "lose control", mentally and emotionally.

In Melbourne, it was vexation astatine being incapable to header pinch Madison Keys' destructive power.

At Roland Garros, it was fury astatine hitting 70 unforced errors arsenic Coco Gauff fought back.

At Wimbledon, it was fearfulness astatine not matching Amanda Anisimova's bravery.

"I deliberation it's bully she is emotional. But it's astir having power complete those ups and downs," Mirnyi said.

"As she gets older she gets much experienced, she will beforehand much and much successful that section - it's earthy erstwhile you're younger and much affectional to person much outbursts.

"Here she has been very comfortable [emotionally] and is confidently progressing successful each facets of nan game."

One area wherever Sabalenka has remained solidly composed precocious is simply a tie-break situation.

The three-time awesome champion has won her past 17 tie-breaks, including 2 successful New York to scope nan past 4 without dropping a set.

There could beryllium different facet - mentally and physically - which comes into play erstwhile she faces American 4th seed Pegula successful Thursday's first semi-final.

Sabalenka has not played since Sunday, aft injured quarter-final force Marketa Vondrousova withdrew little than 2 hours earlier Tuesday's match.

Can a walkover beryllium a blessing and supply a recharge? Or a curse because it ruins rhythm?

"It tin beryllium tricky," erstwhile Wimbledon champion Marion Bartoli said connected Sky Sports.

"That's why each azygous personification successful her squad has to play that domiciled of making judge nan assemblage is functioning decently and making judge her mind is there."

In a bid to debar immoderate ring-rust, Sabalenka and her squad person been hitting nan believe courts hard.

After discovering Vondrousova's misfortune, they spent astir an hr practising connected Tuesday evening to simulate a lucifer scenario.

"I conscionable wanted to move and propulsion nan power I had," said Sabalenka.

"I wanted to sweat and dress it was an activity, aliases a lucifer aliases something."

Sabalenka returned to nan warm-up courts connected Wednesday lunchtime, going done what she would people arsenic a 'normal' convention connected nan days betwixt matches.

An aggravated 45-minute believe contained a batch of activity and activity successful different areas of her crippled - defending, attacking, service returns - but location was besides clip for fun.

During serving drills Sabalenka deed spots betwixt nan legs of Mirnyi and fittingness trainer Jason Stacy.

"As a tennis subordinate you're taught to person to hold astir and woody pinch these conditions," said Mirnyi.

"She knows really to grip these situations, she's been successful them earlier and it shouldn't beryllium an issue."

If Sabalenka loses to Pegula, eighth seed Amanada Anisimova will person nan opportunity to group up nan first all-American women's US Open singles last since 2017.

But she faces a rejuvenated Naomi Osaka - a two-time champion - successful Thursday's 2nd semi-final.

Anisimova was flooded by shape fright erstwhile she reached her first Grand Slam last astatine Wimbledon past month, losing 6-0 6-0 successful only 57 minutes against Poland's Iga Swiatek.

But nan 24-year-old American avenged that chastening acquisition by beating Swiatek successful nan New York quarter-finals connected Wednesday.

"It's nan farthest I've gone by acold astatine nan US Open and it's highly special," said Anisimova, who had antecedently won only 3 of her 8 matches astatine Flushing Meadows.

"I person that belief successful myself and that assurance that I'm capable to play astatine nan apical level."