Aryna Sabalenka's recent run of form impresses Ashleigh Barty's ex-coach
Ashleigh Barty's former coach Craig Tyzzer hailed Aryna Sabalenka for her impressive run of form in recent times. He feels that the Belarusian has learned to focus on her precision rather than just relying on power when executing her shots.
Sabalenka's start to the season has been nothing short of remarkable. She bagged the Adelaide International 1 and Australian Open titles and has been one of the most consistent players in 2023, with a 20-3 record.
However, this was not the case for Sabalenka two years back on the tour. Despite her top-quality power hitting, the Belarusian struggled to get big wins under her belt. Speaking to The First Serve, Tyzzer opined that Sabalenka was accustomed to just hitting the ball without proper intent when she used to face Barty in the past.
"It was almost like sometimes she would just see the ball and hit the ball and not really have a plan. Our strategy against her was to keep her out there a lot longer and make her think a lot more about the points in play, which is when she fell down a lot," said Tyzzer.
Tyzzer also recollected him and Barty once stating that Sabalenka would turn out to be "unbeatable" if she figured out a proper playing strategy.
"Ash and I always said that if Aryna could figure out how to play, that she would be almost unbeatable," he added.
Now, with improved strategy and court awareness from Sabalenka, Tyzzer is impressed by the World No. 2's playing style.
"But I felt like at the Aussie Open, she did that way better. I felt her strategy was better," the Australian opined. "I felt she thought a bit more about where she was hitting the ball and playing rather than just trying to hit big and hit the spots all the time."
Aryna Sabalenka and Ashleigh Barty's head-to-head record
Aryna Sabalenka and Ashleigh Barty have squared off on eight occasions, with both players sharing the spoils for a 4-4 head-to-head record.
Their first meeting saw Barty claim a first-round win (6-7(2), 6-4, 6-4) at the 2018 Australian Open. Sabalenka responded by beating the Australian at the Wuhan Open and the Zhuhai Championships the same year.
In 2019, the duo faced each other in the Fed Cup where Barty eased past the Belarusian in straight sets. Aryna Sabalenka gained revenge at the Wuhan Open months later, beating the former World No. 1 7-5, 6-4.
Two years later, Ashleigh Barty ousted Sabalenka at the Miami Open and Porsche Tennis Grand Prix, before the latter leveled the scores to 4-4 in Madrid.