Aryna Sabalenka’s path to the US Open title wasn’t built on remarkable mobility or delicate groundstrokes. No, Sabalenka’s game was built on power. And it was that power that allowed her to defeat American Jessica Pegula and win her third Grand Slam.
Sabalenka is not only one of the most powerful players on the WTA Tour. She is also one of the most powerful players in all of tennis, regardless of gender. She reaffirmed that status throughout her time on Arthur Ashe Stadium, unleashing countless searing attempts to leave her opponents reeling. In doing so, she made tournament history, not only by lifting the famous US Open trophy, but also by surpassing all other competitors in various measures related to stroke speed.
Here’s what you need to know.
How fast can Aryna Sabalenka hit?
Sabalenka hits like a truck. Her speed is one of her most valuable qualities as a tennis player. And it’s what helped her achieve great success in 2024. The Belarusian had won just one Grand Slam in her career before the start of the season. She now has three.
Sabalenka’s stats reveal just how much power she puts into her shots, including that venomous serve.
The world’s No. 2 player regularly hits 120 mph on her serve, an obscure number that tends to slip under the radar of aces when Sabalenka is at her best. According to Statista, she recorded a serve of 120.16 mph at this year’s Australian Open, the second-fastest speed of any woman to compete at the tournament (behind Coco Gauff, who hit 120.19 mph).
Her match against Pegula drew even more attention. Although Sabalenka dropped a few points on her serve, she produced the fastest serve of the women’s tournament against Pegula, recording a scorching 119 mph effort to get around the American’s tight grip.
Sabalenka’s serve is formidable. But her forehand is perhaps the most crushing part of her game. The Belarusian repels shots that land on her right side with frightening speed and accuracy. In fact, her forehand could – and would – smother men’s players as well. Her average top-spin forehand speed is 129 km/h, faster than the current “Big Three” of Carlos Alcaraz (127 km/h), Jannik Sinner (126 km/h) and Novak Djokovic (122 km/h).
Aryna Sabalenka has the fastest forehand speed in the tournament. #USOpen…of all women ?????? ?? pic.twitter.com/T9o4PhlG5B
— Eurosport (@eurosport) September 6, 2024
Sabalenka was asked about her performance compared to her male counterparts in an interview following her victory over Elise Mertens in the fourth round of this year’s tournament.
“I saw my stats on my forehand and I can’t believe it’s that fast,” Sabalenka said. “It was a little uncomfortable to be on top and even hit harder than the others. It’s a really interesting stat.”
LOL!!!! Aryna Sabalenka says she’s a little uncomfortable because her forehand is faster than the men’s ??? Queen’s behavior only ? pic.twitter.com/MhD1sLNN1P
— Liviefromparis ????♀️? (@Livieparis2024) September 2, 2024
Sabalenka’s hitting has brought her glory throughout the 2024 season and should continue as she targets additional Grand Slam titles in 2025 and beyond.
