The President of the Russian Tennis Federation (RTF), Shamil Tarpishchev, addressed the question regarding what the world No. 1, Belarusian player Arina Sobolenko, needed for a greater number of victories throughout the season despite her dominating position compared to other female tennis players.
“Although Arina Sobolenko, the world No. 1 among women, seemed to dominate this year, she only secured one Grand Slam title — the US Open — and lost in several crucial matches. Does this indicate a lack of psychological resilience for the leader?”
“Rather, it’s about variability,” Tarpishchev responded. “The Belarusian consistently plays with a power-based style, but such a repetitive approach carries certain risks. When fatigue sets in, mistakes start to happen, and she struggles to alter her strategy. Ultimately, it all hinges on whether Arina is in good shape. If she is, virtually no one can defeat her right now. If she isn’t, then a few competitors—like Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina, and even Mirra Andreyeva, who beat Sobolenko in the final of the Masters event in Indian Wells—have a chance.” These quotes were reported by Kommersant.
