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Maria Sharapova didn’t hold back as she criticized a well-known American newspaper for publishing a controversial article about Aryna Sabalenka. The former World No. 1 was stunned that an outlet of such stature would run a piece with such a questionable headline.
Sabalenka is powering through her Wimbledon campaign and has already secured a spot in the quarterfinals. Known for her explosive game, she continues to live up to her reputation as one of the biggest hitters on the WTA Tour. In fact, her forehand was clocked at an average speed of 129 km/h during the 2024 US Open, faster than Carlos Alcaraz (127 km/h) and Jannik Sinner (125 km/h), according to official stats.
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The Belarusian had practiced with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner before starting her Wimbledon campaign. But what stirred controversy was a piece by The Wall Street Journal titled, "The World No. 1 Who Hits So Hard She Practices Against Men."
“The 27-year-old Sabalenka now crushes the ball so forcefully that she needs new practice partners. And, as it turns out, the right players for the job happen to be people she could never face in singles competition. That's because they're men,” an excerpt from the article reads.
The article didn’t sit well with Maria Sharapova, who took to her Instagram Stories to question how an article like that was even published and called out the state of tennis journalism.
“What is this headline and what is this article? You can do better @wsj,” the five-time Grand Slam champion wrote.
Sharapova herself was known for her powerful baseline game, with her serve being one of her biggest weapons. She frequently clocked speeds over 100 mph, making her one of the hardest hitters on the WTA Tour in her prime.
Aryna Sabalenka says she was "exhausted" after practicing with Novak Djokovic & Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon
Aryna Sabalenka spoke about her experience of practicing with Novak Djokovic and Jannik Sinner at Wimbledon during a pre-tournament press conference. She admitted that hitting with top male players was a valuable challenge, adding that she felt “exhausted” afterwards due to the heightened level of intensity.
Sabalenka said:
“Hitting with the guys, it’s another level of intensity,” Sabalenka told reporters. “It’s just cool to see their level. Honestly, I hit with Jannik for like 10 minutes. I was exhausted. I was like, `Oh, my God. I don’t know.’"
"An hour with Novak, you know, now I’m recovered. It was great experience. When you see on that side someone like Jannik or Novak, you learn from them. You reflect what they do on court. It was great for me," she added.
For now, Aryna Sabalenka is set to face Laura Siegemund in the quarterfinals at Wimbledon on Tuesday, July 8. Meanwhile, Djokovic is currently up against Alex de Minaur in the fourth round, with Sinner also through to the same stage, where he’s set to face Grigor Dimitrov.
