Aryna Sabalenka is the number one-ranked player in the world, and has been for some time now.
The Belarusian has been dominant on the WTA Tour over the past few years, and her title tally now stands at 23.
Four of those crowns have been captured at Grand Slams, with Sabalenka emerging victorious twice at the Australian Open and twice at the US Open.
Still just 27, she has already cemented herself as one of the greatest to ever play the game on the women’s side.
Aryna Sabalenka is now the — best women’s player of all time
Where are you ranking her?
Former world number one Lindsay Davenport recently discussed Sabalenka and thinks she would have done just fine in her era.
Lindsay Davenport discusses Aryna Sabalenka
Speaking on an episode of ‘The Sit Down‘, Davenport said: “There was a clip played from an old US Open match, and I am going to get the year wrong, but it was 2002 or 2003, and it was Serena Williams vs Jennifer Capriati.
“I thought, oh my gosh, that level is really high, and it wasn’t too far off what we saw in the late teen years, like 2018, 2019.
“Normally, you get a wider gap of levels in a 15-year time frame. I think that the physicality of Sabalenka and everything that she does well would be overwhelmingly good, whatever era you dropped her into. I think it would be very high.
“Venus Williams reached two Grand Slam semifinals in 2017. She was not as good a player as she was at the height of her career, in that 2003-2005 range, so it was pretty remarkable when she was still able to get to finals when I thought she was faster 15 years earlier and hit the ball a bit earlier.
Who are you backing to complete the sunshine double?
Or do you think both Sabalenka and Sinner will win the Miami Open?
“But I think the tennis in the last few years has jumped up a couple of notches again, and I think the players at the top of women’s tennis are so good now it really is amazing.
“I think they are all in. Sabalenka, everything she does to train to get good, you have no doubt that Swiatek is trying everything she can to continue to add to her six majors.
“I think Rybakina’s level for the last six or seven months has arguably been the best in women’s tennis, so I am really in awe of the generation we have playing women’s tennis right now.”
Aryna Sabalenka’s Miami Open campaign so far
Sabalenka is aiming to complete the Sunshine Double at the Miami Open after triumphing in Indian Wells.
So far, the world number one has yet to drop a set in Miami, having bested two American home hopes.
She defeated Ann Li in the first round and comfortably came out on top against Caty McNally in round two.
Sabalenka’s fourth-round opponent comes in the form of 23rd seed Qinwen Zheng, whom she played in the quarterfinal stage of last year’s Miami Open.
Zheng trails 7-1 in the head-to-head, having clinched her sole triumph in the rivalry at the 2025 Italian Open.
Receive exclusive tennis news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
