The speed of Aryna Sabalenka’s forehand was one of the big talking points of the 2024 US Open, with her victory in the final a result of a ‘high risk, high reward’ strategy.
That’s the verdict of tennis coaching guru Patrick Mouratoglou, who has posted a detailed entry on his Linkedin page breaking down why how the world No 2 finally won the US Open title.
Sabalenka was proud to be able to make her fairy tale of New York come true as she earned US Open redemption by winning the women’s title
The Belarusian suffered one of her darkest days when she lost last year’s final to Coco Gauff.
She threatened a repeat of that wobble in a nervy encounter, but this was her time, beating Jessica Pegula 7-5 7-5.
It was her second Grand Slam title of the year, following victory at the Australian Open, and third in total as she proved herself to be the best hard-court player in the world, with few able to match her power in these conditions.
The analysis of her power-packed game revealed her forehand was struck with more power than Carlos Alcaaz, Novak Djokovic and men’s champion Jannik Sinner, with Mouratoglou highlighting the statistics.
“Aryna Sabalenka’s average forehand speed during this US Open is faster than that of top men’s players,” said Mouratoglous.
“It was 1.6 km/h faster than Carlos Alcaraz,3.2 km/h faster than Jannik Sinner, 6.4 km/h faster than Novak Djokovic – as per the data shared by the broadcasters.
And yet, this is no surprise to me.
“The key difference between men’s and women’s tennis lies in the use of spin and movement speed.
“Men tend to apply more spin and hit with greater height, making the ball slower but more controlled and difficult to handle.
“Because men move faster, they can use this speed to counteract aggressive shots, often resulting in them hitting even harder, closer to the lines, and ultimately taking greater risks with minimal reward.”
Mouratoglou, who famously coached Serena Williams during his most prolific days as a winner, went on to claim Sabalenka is willing to take risks to win.
“In women’s tennis, however, Sabalenka’s approach is incredibly powerful,” added Mouratoglou.
“She plays fast, takes more risks, and stays close to the baseline, knowing that her speed can overwhelm her opponents. It is exactly this fearless style that secured her the US Open title, where she attacked relentlessly.
“Her victory in New York is a testament to the success of high-risk, high-reward tennis on the women’s side. To play this style successfully, a great deal of confidence is required, and she demonstrates this perfectly.”
Sabalenka’s win at the US Open was all the more special given her near misses in the last two finals, as she admitted her defeat against Coco Gauff in the 2023 championship match left a mark.
“So many times I thought I was so close to getting the US Open title, it has always been a dream of mine and finally I have got this beautiful trophy, it means a lot,” said the Belarusian.
“I remember all those tough losses in the past here. Never give up on your dream and keep trying and working hard.
“If you sacrifice everything for a dream you are going to get it one day. I am super proud of myself.
“I remember how I felt after the final last year and that makes this even more special.”
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