Aryna Sabalenka’s 2025 season was a blend of remarkable highs and painful lows. She captured the US Open along with three additional titles, showcasing her dominance throughout the year. However, she also suffered narrow defeats in two Grand Slam finals and finished as the runner-up at the WTA Finals.

Despite her impressive consistency at the top of the women’s game, Rennae Stubbs felt that Sabalenka’s overall season fell short of expectations.

Jimmy Connors remains confident in World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka’s long-term career trajectory, even after her tough losses in 2025. His positive outlook comes just days after Serena Williams’ former coach, Rennae Stubbs, publicly labeled the Belarusian’s season a failure.

Sabalenka’s 2025 season delivered both triumph and disappointment. She captured the US Open along with three other titles, reinforcing her status as one of the game’s elite. However, she fell short in two Grand Slam finals and finished as the runner-up at the WTA Finals. Despite her strong consistency at the top of the tour, Stubbs still viewed Sabalenka’s overall season as below par

In the latest episode of his Advantage Connors podcast, Connors noted that even if Sabalenka consistently reaches finals, it doesn’t guarantee victory every time. He emphasized that her opponents are also hungry for success, and any player can have an off day — even during the biggest matches.

Sabalenka ended the season with an impressive 63–12 record, capturing four titles from nine finals. Her remarkable consistency kept her at the top of the rankings throughout the year, allowing her to secure the year-end No. 1 position for the second consecutive season. She has already confirmed her participation in her first tournament of the 2026 campaign.

Aryna Sabalenka will kick off the new season at the 2026 Brisbane International, scheduled for January 4–11. She returns as the defending champion, having won the title in 2025 with a victory over Polina Kudermetova in the final.

Sabalenka also reached the Brisbane final in 2024, where she fell to Elena Rybakina in the championship match. After her campaign in Brisbane, she will travel to Melbourne for the Australian Open.The 27-year-old captured back-to-back titles at the year’s first Major in 2023 and 2024, but her bid for a historic three-peat ended with a defeat to Madison Keys in the 2025 final. She will now aim to become the first woman to reach four consecutive Australian Open finals since Martina Hingis, who made six straight finals from 1997 to 2002.