Little did Aryna Sabalenka know this time last year that her ban from Wimbledon would actually help her reach new heights. A break from the sport, including a self-imposed blackout of television coverage from the All England Club, gave her the opportunity to reflect on where she had been going wrong in the preceding months.
The impact of this enforced sabbatical has been plainly evident this year. A first grand-slam title at the Australian Open, a semi-final run at the French Open and the same again here at Wimbledon, with the chance to go on and win the trophy, have given the Belarusian an impressive 17-1 winning record in matches at the sport’s major tournaments in 2023.
Now Sabalenka finds herself on the brink of
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