World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka has been subtly enhancing her powerful tennis style with greater variety, a key factor in her rise to the top of the PIF WTA Rankings.
These evolving tactics, particularly an increased frequency of net approaches and drop shots, were anticipated to be showcased in her second-round match against qualifier Anna Blinkova at the Mutua Madrid Open.
“I think maybe on clay it’s a bit easier because the game overall is a bit slower,” Sabalenka commented ahead of the tournament. “You have extra time.”
However, she also noted the flip side: “I don’t know, at the same time it’s easier and harder because I have more time and I have more options in my head, and sometimes I get confused.”
Despite leading the rankings and the Race to the WTA Finals by significant margins, solidifying her position as the top player on the Hologic WTA Tour currently, Sabalenka openly admits she`s still mastering how to best integrate these varied shots into her approach, which historically relied heavily on raw power.
“It’s a learning process and I’m not afraid to make mistakes,” she stated. “I think with time I will learn how to make the right decisions. It’s going to benefit my game. I think on the clay court, it’s like a good practice with those shots.” The challenge, she added, is making “sure you pick the right one at the right moment.”
Strategic Advancement
Last fall, at the WTA Finals, Sabalenka’s coach Anton Dubrov discussed their ongoing search for strategic improvements. “We’re trying to find somewhere we can be better,” he had shared.
This drive for improvement has been a consistent theme. A couple of years ago, crippling double faults plagued Sabalenka`s game. By adding biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan to her team, she dramatically improved this area, turning a significant deficit in 2022 into a positive ratio in 2023.
This correction coincided with her winning major hard-court titles, including her first Grand Slam singles title in Melbourne. Now, the focus is on literal “moving forward.”
Dubrov is aware of external suggestions but offers a nuanced view. While it`s easy to say “she’s got to finish on the net” or “don’t do double faults,” execution is complex. “It’s got to be at the right time,” Dubrov emphasized. The player needs to develop an internal understanding of when net play fits the point`s structure.
Statistics show a clear increase in Sabalenka`s net approaches from 2021 through 2024 (though 2025 data is still early). Dubrov confirmed this significant jump. In 2024, only a few players had more successful net approaches than Sabalenka, highlighting her growing effectiveness in this area.
Variety Enhances Power
This trend towards more aggressive net play is welcomed by tennis legend Martina Navratilova, who pioneered this style. Navratilova has often critiqued powerful players, including both Iga Swiatek and Sabalenka, for not capitalizing on their power to finish points quicker at the net.
Navratilova sees Sabalenka`s added variety as “huge” because “the margins are so small.” By not moving forward, players give opponents a chance to recover. “You are improving the odds of winning the point by moving forward and hitting the right shot,” she said. “Sabalenka’s volley has gotten better. She’s got more variety. It’s great to have that much power, but when you add variety to it — that power pays off even more.”
Jessica Pegula, who has faced Sabalenka, also observed the change. “She’s moving a lot better, and I think being a little bit more creative on court,” Pegula noted. “So all of a sudden, it’s not just her power, it’s a lot of these other things that she’s doing better that maybe used to be weaknesses. So I think she’s just all around has stepped up a lot of things.”
Caroline Garcia, another player known for power and aggression, believes modern fitness allows players better court coverage. She feels that heavy shots from players like her and Sabalenka often result in shorter replies, creating opportunities to finish points at the net. “It’s quite useful to go to the net because you are winning a lot of time on your opponent,” Garcia explained. She added that balls might sit up higher at the net, making finishing easier compared to hitting another groundstroke where risk might increase.
This strategic development is expected to continue. Dubrov estimates the integration is still “like 50, 60 percent. It’s not there yet. But if you can add, say five percent [more approaches] every half year, it’s huge.”
The Value of the Drop Shot
After winning in Wuhan, Sabalenka herself reflected on her evolving game. “I improved a lot,” she said, mentioning her ability to “come to the net and I can finish point and then I can use my touch. I got some variation in my pocket.” She consciously reminded herself that she had options beyond just hitting hard – “slice, hit drop shot, come to the net.”
While she could execute the drop shot in practice, integrating it into match play was the challenge. She recalled using it during a match against Elina Svitolina in Rome last year out of necessity due to a shoulder injury. “The only option for me was to finish the point as soon as possible,” she explained in Madrid. “I was like, `You know what, I’m going to go for the drop shots.` I think the best training is training on the match. After that match I was like, `Oh, actually it’s working, probably we have to work on that shot more often.`”
“Five years ago if someone will tell me I will finally learn how to do this shot, I’ll be like laughing,” Sabalenka admitted, feeling she lacked the touch. “Now I have this shot in my pocket.”
The element of surprise is crucial at the elite level. When Sabalenka`s power pushes opponents deep behind the baseline, the drop shot becomes a potent weapon. “When I see the opponent is really way far behind,” she said, “I’m like, `OK, I’ll just make them move.`” She expressed happiness at finally mastering the shot, noting she “kind of have control, which is crazy to say, to be honest.” Having this shot, she concluded, “is just good to have, isn’t it for me? For me, not for my opponent.”
Jasper Hawthorne 
Dominic Ashworth