John McEnroe acknowledges it’s crystal clear that Aryna Sabalenka has made an enormous enchancment in her sport over the previous few years however nonetheless believes that prime Serena Williams would finish on the successful aspect in the event that they met proper now.
After struggling for years to make an enormous breakthrough on the Grand Slam degree, the 26-year-old has landed three Majors within the final 20 months – she gained back-to-back Australian Open titles and likewise made all of it the best way at this 12 months’s US Open after ending as runner-up at Flushing Meadows in 2023.
In the beginning of this season, the Belarusian tennis star impressively defended her title at Melbourne Park with out a dropped set. Now, she gained her first US Open title with just one misplaced set throughout a two-week interval in New York.
Since Sabalenka has been at the least a finalist in every of the final 4 hard-court Slams, it led to some evaluating her to Williams. There isn’t a have to surprise why as a result of the American tennis icon’s observe report and dominance on onerous courts are well-documented.
And talking at a Eurosport occasion, McEnroe highlighted that the now three-time Main winner has the energy and high quality that resembles the previous 23-time Slam champion in some methods. However to say that she’d beat the American former world No. 1 is one thing he wouldn’t do.
“Sabalenka has improved her motion, however I don’t suppose that she is on the similar degree as Serena when she was at her greatest. Clearly, we’re speaking about two of the largest hitters which have ever been within the girls’s sport, however I’d take Serena to beat her nonetheless. I’ve an enormous quantity of respect for Sabalenka. She has improved her sport and that’s the reason she is lastly successful majors and contending in each occasion she is in,” the 65-year-old American tennis legend mentioned.
Up to now Williams and Sabalenka performed solely as soon as on the 2021 Australian Open and the American gained that assembly in tight three units 6-4 2-6 6-4.
McEnroe on Coco Gauff’s struggles and the Williams comparability
After beating Sabalenka in final 12 months’s US Open remaining, Gauff turned a Grand Slam champion on the age of 19. Shortly after in her post-match presser, the American underlined that she was hungry for extra.
However a Main title No. 2 did not come for the 20-year-old this 12 months, who was a semifinalist on the Australian Open and French Open earlier than selecting up back-to-back round-of-16 exits at Wimbledon and Flushing Meadows.
Total, the previous few months have not been the most effective for the American, who hasn’t made it previous the last-16 in any of her final 5 occasions performed and he or she is about to drop from No. 3 to No. 6 on Monday.
“She’s nonetheless having points together with her serve, she’s nonetheless having points together with her forehand. She appears to be extra outwardly annoyed on the courtroom and venting extra. I suppose that is simply the strain of expectation. As a result of persons are like: ‘Simply comply with within the footsteps of Serena Williams,'” McEnroe defined.
“You are like: ‘Oh actually? That can be straightforward.’ There’s a lot being requested (of her). I seen she’s been on a good quantity of commercials and stuff too. I do not know precisely how a lot she’s executed, however they’ve acquired to steadiness that with giving her time to work on her sport and really feel tremendous assured once more, which you’ll inform she’s not feeling proper now.”
Sabalenka emulated a Williams feat, Gauff hopes to bounce again
At this previous US Open, the 26-year-old Belarusian turned the primary participant since Williams in 2018 and 2019 to succeed in back-to-back finals at Flushing Meadows. And after beating Jessica Pegula 7-5 7-5, she additionally joined the American tennis icon on the US Open winners record.
However earlier than triumphing in New York this 12 months, the present world No. 2 misplaced a remaining and two semifinals on the match.
“I bear in mind all these robust losses up to now right here. It should sound straightforward however by no means hand over in your goals and simply preserve making an attempt, preserve working onerous. If you happen to’re actually working onerous and also you’re sacrificing all the things for a dream, you are going to get it someday. I am simply tremendous happy with myself. I by no means say that, however actually guys, I am tremendous happy with myself, I am happy with my workforce that it doesn’t matter what, irrespective of which state of affairs we have been dealing with, this season and up to now, we have been in a position to undergo it and get all these stunning trophies,” Sabalenka recalled following her win.
On the opposite aspect, Gauff did not conceal that she was sad with how she performed at Flushing Meadows but additionally vowed to maintain working onerous and attempt to get again heading in the right direction as quickly as potential.
