Sabalenka feeling ‘fresh’ and ready after skipping Paris Olympics

While most of the Hologic WTA Tour’s Top 10 players have been grinding through a jam-packed summer schedule that included Wimbledon and the ongoing Olympics in Paris, Aryna Sabalenka took a distinctly different path.

After a quarterfinal loss at Roland Garros, Sabalenka headed to the Greek islands for some “much-needed … recharging.” She played her most recent match on June 22, retiring from a quarterfinal match in Berlin with a shoulder injury. It was the first mid-match retirement of her career.

And while she was seen at Wimbledon dancing with her good friend Ons Jabeur, Sabalenka never made it to the line. It was the first time the 26-year-old ever missed a Grand Slam because of injury.

When the reigning two-time Australian Open champion takes the court Wednesday at the Mubadala Citi D.C. Open, it will be her first official play in 39 days. She’ll meet the winner of Tuesday’s match between Katie Volynets and qualifier Kamilla Rakhimova.

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“I think at the end it was very important for me to take a little break,” Sabalenka explained. “I had really tough, tough struggles starting from March. It didn’t stop.

“Like mentally, I feel more fresh and more ready to go. I feel it was really much needed, and I’ll be ready.”

Sabalenka had joked on social media that she needed to work a bit on her tan lines and, sure enough, she met the media in Washington, D.C. tanned and visibly relaxed. She was, as usual, self-deprecating, admonishing herself at one point for a meandering reply — remember, it’s been a while since she answered questions in a formal setting.

The decision to withdraw at Wimbledon, she said, was a difficult one.

“Because I never pull out from the tournament because of the injury,” Sabalenka explained. “Even if I was injured, I was still playing. I was still struggling, but being able to play. It was my first experience like that.

“But I decided to take care of my health, to do a proper rehab, get back stronger.”

Don’t let those Instagram images of Sabalenka enjoying life on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea fool you. She’s been working hard.

“For two weeks I was doing rehab, like a lot of exercises, a lot of treatments, a lot of recovery stuff,” the World No.3 said. “It felt like a lot, like the whole day I’ve been doing, like, exercises. It feel like it’s actually time to switch off, but you’re still working out, still doing something.

“Then I start practicing [at home in South Florida]like slowly getting back. So far I’m doing well.”

The break, as difficult as it felt at the time, may prove fortuitous for Sabalenka.

World No.1 Iga Swiatek, who lost her third-round match at Wimbledon, is the favorite for the singles gold medal in Paris, hoping to win her fifth title there in five years. No.2 Coco Gauff is playing singles, doubles with No.6 Jessica Pegula and mixed doubles with Taylor Fritz. No.5 Jasmine Paolini — a finalist at Roland Garros and Wimbledon — is still alive in both singles and doubles.

All of that activity could mean advantage, Sabalenka. With the two upcoming WTA 1000 events in Toronto and Cincinnati, that’s a lot of tennis. And then the US Open begins on Aug. 26. That’s where Sabalenka suffered a heart-wrenching, three-set loss to Gauff in last year’s final.

It’s quite possible the WTA Player of the Year will be decided in the span of one month or so. Sabalenka (Australian Open), Swiatek (Roland Garros) and Barbora Krejcikova (Wimbledon) are all looking to grab a second major title. Krejcikova, it’s worth noting, also remains alive in singles and doubles in Paris.

The first — and only other — time Sabalenka has played in the nation’s capital was in 2017. The 19-year-old ranked No.121 lost her second match to Sabine Lisicki. Seven years later, she’s a two-time Grand Slam champion, former World No.1 — and the top seed in the season’s only 500 event for both men and women.

Sabalenka was asked about setting goals at this relatively late juncture of the season.

“The goal is just to become a better player,” she said. “After each tough loss, learn something and improve it. Hopefully this injury will never bother me again.

“I haven’t played for a while. I felt like I need to build my confidence back and build my level back before going to the US Open. So I need to play some matches, and that’s why I’m here.”