Tennis
John McEnroe Makes Strong Comparison Between Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka
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Get to know louisfargher betterPublished11 Sep 2024
John McEnroe has compared Serena Williams and Aryna Sabalenka, spotting a major difference between the US Open champion and the retired star.
John McEnroe Compares Serena Williams & Aryna Sabalenka
Sabalenka clinched her third Grand Slam victory after beating Jessica Pegula at Flushing Meadows (7-5, 7-5), showcasing her incredible power and strengths.
This victory closed the gap between Sabalenka, who is ranked second in the world, and world number one – Iga Swiatek.
New York witnessed her scary power first-hand, as the Belarussian average a topspin forehand speed of 129km/h which was the fastest at the tournament.
Clocking an average this high meant she ranked higher than Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic and the men’s winner – Jannick Sinner.
However, this achievement has not convinced McEnroe, who believes Serena Williams would be too much for Sabalenka if the two met in their primes.
He said (Via EuroSport): “Those are two of the biggest hitters that ever played in the women’s game. I think Sabalenka has really improved her movement, but I don’t think, both at their best, that she is as athletic as Serena. But she is getting closer.
“I have a lot of respect for her because she has really maximised what she can do on the court and that’s why she is finally winning majors and contending in almost every event she is in.”
During her illustrious career, Serena Williams won a total of 23 Grand Slam titles and is widely regarded as the best female tennis player of all time.
Willams and Sabalenka have played before, as the American claimed the victory at the 2021 Australian Open – before retiring at the 2022 US Open.
Sabalenka won her first Grand Slam at the 2023 Australian Open, before going on to defend this title a year later by beating Zheng Qinwen in Melbourne this year.
In order to match Serena William’s Grand Slam record, the 26-year-old will need to win 20 more Grand Slams – however Williams had already won eight at 26-years of age.