All The Pressure's On Sabalenka

Lozo1016

Hall of Fame
Top 4 seeds (Swiatek, Jabeur, Pegula, Garcia) all got bounced.

Halep's suspended.

She doesn't have to deal with prime Barty or prime Osaka.

All she has to do is beat 45th-ranked Magda Linette to get to her first GS final. If she lifts the trophy by beating Rybakina/Azarenka, she would have only needed to take out one player ranked in the top 20 the entire tournament (Bencic). For a woman who desperately wants to win that elusive GS, this might be her best shot because everything's lining up for her! Of the final 4 on the men and women's side, she's gotta be feeling the most pressure (except maybe Tsitsipas).
 

Lozo1016

Hall of Fame
How old is she?
:unsure:


She's only 24 (25 by the time the next slam comes around), so she's not going anywhere. But these opportunities eventually run out if you don't start cashing in on them. She's already giving people "can't win the big one" vibes.
 

D-Lite

Hall of Fame
Top 4 seeds (Swiatek, Jabeur, Pegula, Garcia) all got bounced.

Halep's suspended.

She doesn't have to deal with prime Barty or prime Osaka.

All she has to do is beat 45th-ranked Magda Linette to get to her first GS final. If she lifts the trophy by beating Rybakina/Azarenka, she would have only needed to take out one player ranked in the top 20 the entire tournament (Bencic). For a woman who desperately wants to win that elusive GS, this might be her best shot because everything's lining up for her! Of the final 4 on the men and women's side, she's gotta be feeling the most pressure (except maybe Tsitsipas).
True, except Rybakina is the reigning Wimbledon champion and was not awarded points for her victory (not saying this is a right or a wrong thing) so her quality is greatly watered down if you focus on her ranking (that is providing she makes the final).
If Linette makes the final then she will be deserving of doing so, but the WTA needs some consistency from a fan/viewer standpoint - particularly when it comes to rivalries.
The final will be greatly anticipated if it's Sabalenka who takes up one of the spots as she will play fellow countrywoman Azarenka (which will bring all kinds of headlines, but also intrigue from tennis fans), or Rybakina who is another big prospect in the women's game - one who has already delivered in major final but isn't as decorated as Sabalenka on the WTA Tour.
 

tennis24x7

Hall of Fame
This is her first final, Sabalenka will choke. Rybakina may lose a set here but see her winning comfortably after that. The nerves will hit hardest for Sabalenka. If she maintains composure and wins then Sabalenka will be a contender at the other slams.
 

Aussie Darcy

Bionic Poster
Mmm I disagree. Rybakina is the one who’s the reigning Wimbledon champ while this is Sabalenka’s first final. Yes on paper she’s the higher seed but that’s thanks to Wimbledon not being allowed to give points. Rybakina is vying to hold 2 slams. Bit of pressure.
 

TimHenmanATG

Hall of Fame
Not really.

Barty has retired, Osaka is unlikely to return anytime soon, Halep is suspended, Muguruza is badly out of form.

Rybakina has the pressure of being a potential rival to Świątek from now on in. It's a wide open field, and Elena could be subsumed back into it, if she loses.
 

Lozo1016

Hall of Fame
If Rybakina loses, I think she'll be disappointed but she's still a Wimbledon champion and she's proven she can win the biggest prize.

If Sabalenka loses, she'll feel like she let a massive opportunity slip through her fingers. I do think Sabalenka wins, but I also think we'll see some early nerves.
 

Crocodile

G.O.A.T.
I don’t know, it doesn’t have the feel of a final of a GS as yet. It could be like a second round match. Maybe it will come alive but it seems a bit scrappy with quite a few double faults and missed returns. The power produced seems to be there though, will just have to see how it goes.
 
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