Aryna Sabalenka was the standout name on the WTA Tour in 2024 as she won two Grand Slam titles and reached world number one.
There was no one better than Sabalenka in women’s tennis this year as she took a huge step forward to cement herself as the dominant player on tour.
Sabalenka defended her Australian Open title in January before adding to her Major tally at the US Open in September.
The Belarussian also added two WTA 1000 trophies to her collection, as Sabalenka won in Cincinnati and Wuhan.
She became dominant on the WTA Tour for large parts of the 2024 season, as several players felt the 26-year-old’s wrath.
Robin Montgomery cried after coming so ‘close’ to beating Aryna Sabalenka at the 2024 Madrid Open
Speaking in an interview with Clay Tennis, American rising star Robin Montgomery revealed her highlight of the 2024 season.
“The Madrid Open when I made the third round and then I was able to compete against [Aryna] Sabalenka,” she said.
“It was a very close match and it kind of opened my eyes a little bit of where my level is and what I can actually do.”
Montgomery lost the match 6-1 6-7, 6-4, and was devastated to not come away with what would of been the biggest win of her young career.
“Knowing that I was that close and it was just a few shots here and there that cost me the match didn’t feel great,” said the 20-year-old.
“I was crying! I called my childhood coach and he was like ‘relax’ and I’m like ‘no, screw this’.
“It was a stinger, but it does happen for a reason.
“But I just told myself to keep working now, definitely took it as a positive and just to keep doing what I’ve been doing and just pushing myself even more.”
Montgomery went on to explain what Sabalenka does best that makes her so hard to break down.
“It’s gruesome I would say,” said the world number 117.
“She hits the ball very big, very hard and you have to always be ready for anything.
“When you play against her it sometimes feels like you’re already on defense even before the point starts.
“It’s very tough, she’s a top player, the best nowadays.
“So yeah, just be ready to run side to side pretty much.”
Did Aryna Sabalenka go on to win the 2024 Madrid Open?
Following on from her grueling victory over the young American, Sabalenka battled past another American, Danielle Collins to reach the quarter-finals.
It was there where she met one of the brightest prospects in all of tennis, Mirra Andreeva, who is the current world number 16 at just 17 years of age.
She advanced in straights, before taking on former Slam winner Elena Rybakina in the last four, winning in three competitive sets.
Sabalenka then lost to Iga Swiatek in the final, a thrilling encounter that many consider to be the match of the year on the WTA Tour.
After more than three hours of enticing back-and-forth action, the Pole clinched the third-set tiebreaker to win 7-5, 4-6, 7-6, in Madrid.
It was the ninth WTA 1000 title of Swiatek’s career, as the pair wrote another chapter into their storied rivalry.
Swiatek and Sabalenka will resume their rivalry in the new year, as they shoot for more Grand Slam success at the Australian Open which begins on January 12.
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