Aryna Sabalenka aims to solve the Roland Garros puzzle amid a chaotic season
Let’s face it, Aryna Sabalenka will not arrive at Roland Garros as the unstoppable force that many expected. The world number one remains one of the strongest contenders for the French Open title, but the aura that usually surrounds her game appears slightly fragile heading into Paris this year.
12 months ago, Sabalenka scored one of the biggest moments of the tournament by becoming the first player since 2021 to beat Igo Swiatek at Roland Garros. It seemed that Belarus had finally cracked the puzzle on clay. However, the dream was dashed in her first French Open final Coco Gauff outclassed her on the biggest stage. Sabalenka left the court in tears, a painful image that still lingers over her trip to Paris.
Her 2026 season only added to the uncertainty. Disappointing outings in Madrid and Rome have raised questions about her rhythm and confidence on clay. While Sabalenka has built an impressive legacy on hard courts with multiple Australian Open and US Open titles, clay is still a work in progress.
Paris once again represents both an opportunity and a test, a chance to silence the doubters, rewrite the narrative and finally conquer Roland Garros.
At Roland Garros, Sabalenka looks unusually uncertain. The top-ranked star, often defined by his explosive power and intimidating presence, arrives in Paris with more questions than answers after a surprisingly tumultuous swing on the clay.
SABALENKA FIGHT FOR FORM
Aryna Sabalenková retired early in Rome and Madrid. Courtesy: Reuters
Her struggles began in Madrid, where Sabalenkova suffered one of the most dramatic defeats of her season. Against American qualifier Hailey Baptiste in the quarterfinals, Sabalenka had six match points but somehow allowed the contest to slip away. Baptiste completed a stunning comeback to win 2-6, 6-2, 7-6(6), leaving the Belarusian visibly shaken as her title defense came to an abrupt end.
If Madrid was painful, Rome felt even more disturbing. At the Italian Open, Sabalenkova appeared to be firmly in control after the opening set against Romania’s Sorana Cirstea. But the rhythm quickly disappeared Cirstea turned the match around to claim a gutsy 2-6, 6-3, 7-5 victory.
The numbers only add to the concern. Sabalenkova heads into the French Open with just four wins from six clay matches this season and without a single semifinal appearance on the surface.
For a player brimming with confidence and momentum, the timing could hardly be worse. Roland Garros requires patience, composure and faith, qualities that Sabalenka is suddenly looking for again.
QUESTIONS OVER FITNESS
Aryna Sabalenková had problems with his condition at the Italian Open. Courtesy: Reuters
Sabalenkova heads into the French Open with more fitness concerns than she would like after a worrying defeat to Sorana Cirstea in Rome. What initially appeared to be another routine victory quickly turned into an unsettling physical battle.
Sabalenkova cruised early in the match, but as it wore on, her movement dropped noticeably and the firepower behind her ground game slowly faded.
However, the biggest concern was not only the defeat itself, but Visible discomfort of Sabalenka during the decisive set. She took a medical break during 4-3 and later admitted that lower back and hip issues limited her range of motion and rotation.
However, there was a more encouraging update ahead of Roland Garros. Speaking in Paris recently, the Belarusian insisted she now feels “100%” fit after focusing heavily on recovery and rest following the Italian Open.
“I was struggling physically at the beginning of that swing on clay, but now I feel 100 percent. We’ve had a great recovery. We’ve focused on my recovery and made sure I’m all healed up and ready to go. Right now I’m physically ready to go,” Sabalenka told reporters on Friday.
Sabalenkova already proved last year, especially with her win over Swiatek, that she has what it takes to succeed on clay. This year offers another chance to turn that promise into his first French Open crown. Madrid and Rome are now behind her. And if the biggest stages really do bring the best players, Paris is Sabalenka’s moment to remind everyone why she is world number one.
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Issued by:
sabyasachi chowdhury
Published on:
May 26, 2026 09:28 IST
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