John McEnroe acknowledges it is crystal clear that Aryna Sabalenka has made a big improvement in her game over the last few years but still believes that prime Serena Williams would end on the winning side if they met right now.
After struggling for years to make a big breakthrough at the Grand Slam level, the 26-year-old has landed three Majors in the last 20 months – she won back-to-back Australian Open titles and also made it all the way at this year’s US Open after finishing as runner-up at Flushing Meadows in 2023.
At the start of this season, the Belarusian tennis star impressively defended her title at Melbourne Park without a dropped set. Now, she won her first US Open title with only one lost set during a two-week period in New York.
Since Sabalenka has been at least a finalist in each of the last four hard-court Slams, it led to some comparing her to Williams. There is no need to wonder why because the American tennis icon’s track record and dominance on hard courts are well-documented.
And speaking at a Eurosport event, McEnroe highlighted that the now three-time Major winner has the strength and quality that resembles the former 23-time Slam champion in some ways. But to say that she’d beat the American former world No. 1 is something he would not do.
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