Sabalenka: Key to Wimbledon Breakthrough

Richard Pagliaro | Saturday, June 27, 2026
Photo credit: Rob Newell/CameraSport

Aryna Sabalenka launches her quest for a maiden Wimbledon crown on Monday.

World No. 1 Sabalenka is playing for her first grass-court championship and asserts the key to SW19 success is a strong mental game.

To that end, Sabalenka has reconnected with her sport psychologist to “clear my head” ahead of Wimbledon.

“I feel like it’s mostly about mental part of the game. When I start working with psychologist, like, we spoke with my team, and it’s okay at some point I’ll have to get back to her,” Sabalenka said. “I contacted her. I didn’t want to find someone else because you have to go through the whole story, you have to tell your whole story, make other person to understand you deeper.

“I went to person who knows me really well. For now we’re working again. I just feel like I need someone to throw all of my thoughts to, kind of like clear my head a little bit ahead of a big tournament.”

Spiraling through a 10-game free fall, Sabalenka suffered the most shocking collapse of her Grand Slam career at Roland Garros.

Left-handed Diana Shnaider, severe stress and a wild wind conspired to topple Sabalenka 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 and charge into her maiden major semifinal in one of the most unlikely upsets in recent Roland Garros history. In last Saturday’s Berlin semifinals, Jessica Pegula silenced Sabalenka in the decider 6-4, 6-7(4), 6-0 to reach the final.

Despite those demoralizing defeats, Sabalenka said she’s in a happy place ahead of her Monday opener vs. Serbian qualifier Teodora Kostovic on Centre Court.

“Game-wise I feel really good. I was working on couple things ahead of Wimbledon. Things really clicked in Berlin, especially in that second set against Jess,” Sabalenka said. “In the third set she played unbelievable. I was trying to do my best. I felt like she just found that rhythm that I couldn’t broke.

“Yeah, didn’t work well. Honestly, I had a laugh after that third set. I was just, like, Okay, this is what we’re dealing with right now.

“I just don’t want to stay too much in those sets, in those numbers. I just try to work on myself, work on my game. I felt really good throughout the tournament there. I struggled little bit there and there. Overall I feel like things are clicking back together. Now I’m here, I’m happy, and I can’t wait to start playing.”