{"id":2102544,"date":"2026-08-20T10:15:33","date_gmt":"2026-08-20T07:15:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2102544"},"modified":"2026-08-20T10:15:33","modified_gmt":"2026-08-20T07:15:33","slug":"aryna-sabalenka-on-a-slippery-slope-as-legendary-coach-reveals-her-biggest-obstacle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2102544","title":{"rendered":"Aryna Sabalenka &#8216;on a slippery slope&#8217; as legendary coach reveals her biggest obstacle"},"content":{"rendered":"<article class=\"ps-article-content rounded-lg lg:mt-5 lg:border lg:border-card lg:bg-card lg:shadow-primary\">\n<header>\n<h1 class=\"py-4 text-xl font-normal text-title sm:text-2xl\">Aryna Sabalenka \u2018on a slippery slope\u2019 as legendary coach reveals her biggest obstacle<\/h1>\n<div class=\"my-2 flex items-center justify-between\">\n<div class=\"flex items-center\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/author\/shahidaj\" class=\"text-sm font-normal !text-author\"><br \/>\n                            Shahida Jacobs                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <time class=\"ml-3 text-sm font-normal text-info md:ml-4\" datetime=\"20 Aug 2026 11:15 AM\" data-ps-date=\"20 Aug 2026 11:15 AM\" data-ps-datetime=\"1787220933\"><br \/>\n                            20 Aug 2026 11:15 AM                        <\/time>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"hidden justify-end space-x-4 text-xl sm:flex sm:!opacity-100\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n               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flipboard\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/a>\n                    <\/div>\n<div class=\"sm:hidden flex items-center space-x-5\">\n                        <a href=\"https:\/\/google.com\/preferences\/source?q=tennis365.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 hidden dark:block h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_dark.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                            <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"mx-auto !my-0 dark:hidden h-6\" src=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/content\/themes\/tennis365-sportsui\/img\/png\/preferred_source_badge_light.png\" alt=\"Add as a preferred source on Google\" width=\"76\" height=\"24\"><br \/>\n                        <\/a><br \/>\n                        <button id=\"t365-article-share-btn-hidden\" class=\"mr-2 hidden h-6 w-6 appearance-none border-none !text-share-icon outline-none hover:!text-share-icon-active sm:hidden\" data-title=\"Aryna Sabalenka \u2018on a slippery slope\u2019 as legendary coach reveals her biggest obstacle\"><\/p>\n<p>                        <\/button>\n                    <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5 border-b border-page\"><\/div>\n<section>\n<div class=\"-mx-3 sm:-mx-5\">\n<figure class=\"aspect-h-9 aspect-w-16 relative\">\n                                        <img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1320\" height=\"742\" loading=\"eager\" class=\"w-full h-full object-cover object-center !my-0\" src=\"https:\/\/d2me2qg8dfiw8u.cloudfront.net\/content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Aryna-Sabalenka-plays-a-shot-1320x742.jpg\" alt=\"Pictured: Aryna Sabalenka plays a shot\">                <\/figure><figcaption class=\"flex items-center space-x-3 border-b border-mobile-caption px-3 lg:border-caption\">\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"my-1.5 break-words !text-xs !text-content\">\n                                Aryna Sabalenka plays a shot                            <\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n<div class=\"ciam-article-t365\"><!-- Article Start --><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tag\/aryna-sabalenka\">Aryna Sabalenka<\/a>\u2019s slump continued at the Cincinnati Open as the world No 1 was stunned by the unseeded Sara Bejlek in the fourth round and leading coach Rick Macci believes she \u201cSabalenka is competing against herself\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>The Belarusian started the 2026 season in explosive fashion as she successfully defended her Brisbane International crown and went on to finish runner-up to Elena Rybakina at the Australian Open.<\/p>\n<p>She then pulled away from her rivals in March as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/aryna-sabalenka-emulated-four-fellow-world-no-1s-with-sunshine-double-feat\">she won the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open<\/a> to complete the Sunshine Double, but she has struggled since then as Diana Shnaider upset her in the quarter-final at Roland Garros while she was beaten by Naomi Osaka in the fourth round at Wimbledon.<\/p>\n<p>And her poor run of form has continued during the North American hard-court swing as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/wta-rankings-race-to-indian-wells-elena-rybakina-overtakes-aryna-sabalenka-alex-eala-15th\">she lost against Ekaterina Alexandrova<\/a> in the round of 16 before being dumped out of the Cincinnati event by Bejlek.<\/p>\n<p>The first set was pretty even with Sabalenka breaking in the opening game, but the 20-year-old fought back and then edged the tie-breaker. Although the Czech broke in the first game of the second set, Sabalenka won the next four games and raced into a 4-1 lead, but she didn\u2019t win another game as Bejlek completed a 7-6 (9-7), 6-4 win.<\/p>\n<h2>WTA News<\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-features\/wta-rankings-how-aryna-sabalenkas-cincinnati-exit-affects-no-1-battle-elena-rybakina\">WTA Rankings: How Aryna Sabalenka\u2019s Cincinnati exit affects No 1 battle with Elena Rybakina<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tennis365.com\/tennis-news\/coco-gauff-complaints-wta-radical-rule-change\">The WTA Tour set to implement new rule change after complaints from Coco Gauff<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The Belarusian is 40\u20138 for the season, but Macci feels she is struggling with her confidence.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSabalenka is on a slippery slope as the Belarus Bomber still has an unreal serve but in tough moments I see a different mindset with her nerve,\u201d he wrote on X.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHer confidence is in and out, up and down but she still has the explosive firepower off the ground. She can flip the script big time at the final Slam as she is proven mentally to be a tiger not a lamb.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The 28-year-old\u2019s latest loss has opened the door for Rybakina to overtake her at No 1 in the WTA Rankings as she will move to the top if she reaches the final of the WTA 1000 event in Cincinnati.<\/p>\n<p>And even if Rybakina fails to cash in at Mason, she will have another opportunity at the US Open as Sabalenka is defending 2,000 points after winning the title last year while the Kazakh player is defending only 240 points.<\/p>\n<p>Macci says this year\u2019s US Open is \u201cwide open\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cRight now Sabalenka is competing against herself. When an athlete does this you can still get a few wins but mentally your confidence spins,\u201d the American said in a second post.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis year in New York it is the U.S. WIDE OPEN for the WTA as 15 different players could have the final say.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- Article End --><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Aryna Sabalenka \u2018on a slippery slope\u2019 as legendary coach reveals her biggest obstacle Shahida Jacobs 20 Aug 2026 11:15 AM Aryna Sabalenka plays a shot Aryna Sabalenka\u2019s slump continued at the Cincinnati Open as the world No 1 was stunned by the unseeded Sara Bejlek in the fourth round and leading coach Rick Macci believes [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,249],"class_list":["post-2102544","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-tennis365-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2102544","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2102544"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2102544\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2102544"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2102544"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2102544"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}