Aryna Sabalenka is not having her best time in Wuhan. Despite a supportive crowd and a record of two titles in the tournament, Sabalenka’s latest mistake has brought her under criticism. Many believe this is due to the constant stress she faces during matches, but it has hurt the sentiments of some who highlight the Belarusian as self-centered. As the situation unfolded, it left everyone with a question: Are players not perceived as human beings capable of making errors?

Sabalenka made an error after defeating her friend Yulia Putintseva in the Round of 16 in Wuhan. Despite a sluggish start, the Belarusian delivered an impressive performance to secure her victory after withdrawing from the China Open in the quarterfinals. Sabalenka had previously won the Wuhan Open twice in her career. However, despite her victory, an unexpected mistake shifted the focus to her slip-up. When asked about her next opponent, Sabalenka’s error did not go unnoticed by the tennis community.

Sabalenka’s next opponent will be the Beatrice-Haddad Maia and Magdalena Frech clash winner. However, the Belarusian confused Frech for Polish Magda Linette. “She’s playing with Linette, right? Yes, I had a few fights with her, even last year, it was a tough match, she’s a very good player. Regardless of who I play with, it’s going to be a tough challenge,” she said. In reality, Sabalenka has never faced Frech but has played against Linette four times, winning all of their matches. Given her assumption that she would face either Maia or Linette, Sabalenka confidently analyzed her opponent’s playstyle. However, the tennis community was not impressed with the WTA No. 2’s mistake.

Polish media outlet Canal + Sport took this misstep seriously, with one of their reporters issuing a sly remark: “We will “grill” Aryna Sabalenka, that she does not even know who she has a chance to play against,” hinting that Sabalenka’s error could be attributed to fatigue. Nevertheless, people expected her to be more aware of her potential opponents in the tournament.

Despite the mistake, Sabalenka didn’t forget to pay tribute to one of the sport’s greatest legends, Rafael Nadal. As the Spaniard announced his retirement after the Davis Cup Final 8 in Malaga, Sabalenka offered a heartfelt message for the legend.

Aryna Sabalenka called Rafael Nadal “an inspiration”

Despite her run at the 2024 Wuhan Open, the WTA No. 2 expressed her gratitude when asked about Nadal’s retirement. “He’s an inspiration for all of us, for the next generation, for current players. He’s a legend. As he said, everything has a beginning and an end. We are all going to be there. I’m really happy for what he was able to achieve. He was inspiration for everyone. He’s a hard worker. He definitely had so much love for this sport,” Sabalenka said. Her words echoed her admiration for the Spaniard.

Aryna Sabalenka is now on her way to try her luck in the quarterfinals in Wuhan. After exiting the China Open at the same stage, she might be more cautious about her performance against Frech. As this will be their first encounter, the tennis world is excited to see how the match will unfold. What about you? Are you interested too?