"Maria Sharapova had that early in her career, she was a bit of a ball basher like Aryna Sabalenka" - Tennis commentator draws parallels
There are few players on the women's side of the game that hit the ball stronger than Aryna Sabalenka and Maria Sharapova. When playing at their best, both women showed that they were capable of hitting any opponent off-court with their powerful and deep groundstrokes.
The similarities in their approach to the game has not gone unnoticed. Former player and tennis commentator Leif Shiras highlighted just the point during his latest appearance on the Tennis Channel Inside-In podcast.
The American said he recalls Maria Sharapova being a bit of a "ball basher" early in her career, somewhat akin to Aryna Sabalenka in the present scenario.
"I think Maria Sharapova had a little bit of that early in her career, when she was a little bit of a ball basher," Leif Shiras said.
Shiras, however, was quick to add that the Russian matured over the years and shed her ultra-aggressive approach in favor of better point construction. He opined that the same could well come in handy for someone like Sabalenka, who hits the ball just as big as Maria Sharapova.
"And I think she learned to control her groundstrokes and play herself into points and construct points, build points," Leif Shiras said. "And I think Aryna Sabalenka is getting a little closer to that could be the huge."
"Aryna Sabalenka's gonna hit the ball big" - Jan-Michael Gambill's comment leads to Maria Sharapova comparison
Leif Shiras' comments about Aryna Sabalenka's style resembling that of Maria Sharapova had come after co-guest Jan-Michael Gambill's earlier remarks about the Belarussian being a big ball-striker.
Garmbill had taken note of the reigning Australian Open champion's firepower, saying that the offensive style was what drew his attention towards her game in the first place.
"Aryna Sabalenka seems more and more confident, she's gonna hit the ball big," Jan-Michael Gambill said. "She's gonna go for the ground strokes. Go for her serves and her returns. It's all offensive. It's, it's frankly a lot of fun to watch.
"I sort of gravitate toward players like that, but she's also I think playing the pressure moments bigger," Jan-Michael Gambill said. "She's not getting as down on herself in matches, doesn't sort of lose her focus as badly as in the past."
Gambill noted that Sabalenka did not have a 'plan B' for situations where her natural game was not working, adding that it was one of the areas of her game where she can use some improvements.
"So yeah, that mental opacity has improved and I think that's gonna help her," he conitnued. "Maybe she doesn't have a plan B as far as total different tactics and she can use out there."