"Nobody other than me will help...I'm my own psychologist" - When Aryna Sabalenka revealed why she stopped working with mental health specialists
Aryna Sabalenka has transformed her approach to tennis over the past few years, and it has paid off, earning her three Grand Slams among other accomplishments. Perhaps one of the biggest decisions she made along the way was to stop working with a sports psychologist.
Sabalenka reached her first Major final at the 2023 Australian Open, where she faced off against fellow hardcourt specialist Elena Rybakina. Making the most of her opportunity, the former came from a set down to defeat her opponent 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 and lift the prestigious Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup.
Before her match against Rybakina, the Belarusian made a surprising admission - that she had stopped working with a sports psychologist during the pre-season. She explained that she felt it was time to take charge of her own mindset, believing that no one could help her more than she could help herself.
“To be honest, I decided to stop working with a psychologist. I realized that nobody than me will help, you know?” Aryna Sabalenka told the reporters.
“Yeah, on the pre-season I spoke to my psychologist saying, like, Listen, I feel like I have to deal with that by myself, because every time hoping that someone will fix my problem, it's not fixing my problem,” she added.
The World No. 1 continued:
“I just have to take this responsibility, and I just have to deal with that. Yeah, I'm not working with a psychologist any more. I'm my own psychologist (laughter).”
Sabalenka has a solid team by her side to support her through every challenge. Her circle includes coach Anton Dubrov, fitness coach Jason Stacy, her boyfriend Georgios Frangulis, and a few others.
Aryna Sabalenka on how she maintains her mental health
Even though Aryna Sabalenka stopped working with a sports psychologist before her breakthrough run in Australia, she hasn’t overlooked the importance of mental health. She once shared that the key to staying grounded is surrounding herself with the “right” people, those who support her and keep her in a positive headspace.
"I would definitely say that the main thing to stay mentally healthy is to be surrounded by the right people, you know? When you feel all the support, when you feel that your back is covered, that's the main thing," she told the press during the 2024 US Open.
"You know that whatever what going to happen in your life you have people who's going to support you, who's going to stand with you, and who's going to be there with you. I think that's the most important part," she added.
The Belarusian revealed one more trick:
"Another trick is try to enjoy. You know, enjoy the journey. You work hard on court. You fight for it, but then you have -- like on the big tournaments, you have a day off. So you have to enjoy that day. You have to completely separate yourself from tennis."
Sabalenka shares a strong bond with her team and is often seen laughing and joking around with them, whether it’s during warm-ups or after a match. That kind of healthy relationship behind the scenes seems to play a big role in keeping her relaxed and motivated, both on and off the court.