Aryna Sabalenka has been criticised for not keeping a lid on her emotions in what has been a slamless year for the recently deposed world No 1.
But Jessica Pegula, who lost to the 28-year-old in the US Open semi-finals in straight sets, believes that Sabalenka plays her best tennis when she is “angry”.
In the past two years, the Belarusian has won just one of the five Grand Slam finals she has been in, with many believing Sabalenka’s mentality has let her down in the biggest matches.
In tennis history, John McEnroe is usually the first name cited as a player who plays better when angry, and Novak Djokovic may be at his best when he has a point to prove or feels someone has wronged him.
Now, world No 3 Pegula has explained why she thinks being calm is not an ideal state for Sabalenka to be in on the court.
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She said on The Player’s Box Podcast, “She [Sabalenka] plays so well when she’s angry. I can’t do that. When I get angry I start overhitting and I get mad. It does not work for me. I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone play so well when she is visibly pissed off.
“Someone might hit a couple of good winners but then it doesn’t hold up. Not a lot of people can do that, but she does that. It is hard to do that and sustain it through a match. She is more of an emotional player but that is how she plays well.
“She’s good at playing with emotion. Everyone’s so different and you have to find out what works for you. She definitely can’t hold things in but it works for her.”
Former Australian Open Madison Keys, who beat Sabalenka Down Under in 2025, believes that the world No 2 would not be as successful if she reined in her anger.
The American added, “You want to actually keep her [Sabalenka] not angry. I can’t really imagine her playing tennis normal, she wouldn’t do well.”
At times this year, Sabalenka has looked agitated and when things don’t go her way, she can capitulate. Indeed, she was a set and two breaks up against Diana Shnaider at the French Open but ended up losing 10 games in a row in her quarter-final defeat.
She has clearly done something right over the past few years after winning four majors and being world No 1 for 106 weeks. And while she continues to go deep in the biggest tournaments, perhaps a change of approach is needed.
Sabalenka lost the No 1 ranking to US Open champion Elena Rybakina, who beat her in the final in three sets, last week. It remains to be seen how she responds to this difficult year for the remainder of the 2026 season.
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