Bai kai wata ɗaya ba tun da Aryna Sabalenka ta gaya wa duniya cewa tana son barin wasan tennis. 'Yar wasa mai lamba ta 1 a duniya ta yi wani babban tashin hankali. An san Sabalenka da fashe-fashe a filin wasa kamar yadda aka san ta da salon wasa mai ƙarfi. Amma a wannan karon, ya kai wani mataki dabam.
Ta yi wasa mai kyau sosai a gasar French Open, ɗaya daga cikin manyan gasa huɗu na tennis. Ta ci nasara bayan nasara daga bayan filin wasa, kuma idan ta tura abokan hamayyarta zuwa layin baya, takan yaudare su da ƙananan bugu masu laushi. A zagaye na 16 da Naomi Osaka, ta yi kama da ba za a iya doke ta ba. Sai kuma wasan kwata-kwata. A lokacin, duk manyan abokan hamayyarta sun fita. 'Yar shekara 28 tana da hanya bayyananna don lashe kambun Grand Slam na biyar a wasan guda. Har ila yau, tana wasa da kyau a kan 'yar wasa mai lamba ta 25 a duniya, Diana Shnaider. Sabalenka ta ci set na farko cikin sauƙi, 6-3, kuma tana kan gaba da 5-3 a set na biyu. Nasara ta zama tabbatacciya. Sai abin ya faru. Ta rasa wasa ɗaya. Sannan wani. Sannan wani. Iska ta tashi, yanayin wasa ya yi muni, kuma masu shirya gasar ba su rufe rufin ba. Sabalenka ta fara buga bugu bayan bugu a waje.
A lokacin, Sabalenka tana yaƙi da kanta kamar yadda take yaƙi da abokin hamayyarta da iska. Ta yi wa tawagar horarwarta tsawa cikin takaici, kamar yadda ta saba yi. Amma yadda ta soki kanta ya fi muni. Daga ƙarshe, ta rasa wasanni 10 a jere ga 'yar wasa da ƴan magoya bayan tennis marasa son wasan ba su taɓa jin labarinta ba. Shnaider ta ci sets biyu na ƙarshe 7-5 da 6-0. Lokacin da ta yi magana da manema labarai, Sabalenka har yanzu tana cikin gigita. "Ina so in bar wasan tennis a yanzu," in ji ta, tana yarda cewa ta fada cikin "rami mai duhu mai zurfi."
A wannan gasar, 'yan wasa maza na duniya mai lamba ta 1, Jannik Sinner, ya sami irin wannan abu, amma yana da rashin lafiya ta jiki. Wannan ya bambanta. Ya kasance ɗaya daga cikin manyan rugujewa a tarihin tennis. Amma watakila abin da ya fi mamaki shi ne cewa ba a yi tsammani ba gaba ɗaya. Mun koyi tsammanin abin da ba a zata ba tare da Aryna Sabalenka. Fashe-fashe, kalamai na ɓata rai, dangantaka mai rikitarwa, zarge-zarge na rashin gaskiya, ikirarin lalata wasan tennis na mata, sannan raye-raye na abokantaka a filin wasa—'yar Belarus tana da 'yan bugu kaɗan kawai daga cece-kuce na gaba.
Yau, tana Berlin, kuma muna tattaunawa ta hanyar bidiyo kafin Wimbledon, Grand Slam na gaba a kalandar. Fashewar Paris har yanzu tana sabo, amma ba batun da take son gujewa ba. Idan akwai wani abu, ta fi son ta yi magana game da shi kuma ta fitar da shi daga kirjinta. Abin ban dariya, in ji ta, shi ne cewa ta daɗe kafin ta yi magana da manema labarai don tabbatar da cewa ta huce. Ta yi murmushi. "Na ɗauki awa ɗaya da rabi kafin wannan taron manema labarai, kuma na yi tunani, to, na fi kyau yanzu. Sai na shiga na ce, 'Ina so in bar wasan tennis!'"
Shin ta tashi tana tunanin, "Ya Allah, me na faɗa?" Wani murmushi. "A'a. A gaskiya, na yi tunanin na yi kyau sosai." Da gaske? "E. Me kuke tsammani zan faɗa idan kun tambaye ni yadda nake ji a irin wannan lokacin? 'Ina jin daɗi, ina jin daɗi sosai'?" Ba haka ba. Sabalenka ita ce Sabalenka. Koyaushe za ta yi gaskiya. "Na shiga na faɗi gaskiyar. Me ya sa za su bar rufin a buɗe yayin da yanayin ya yi hauka? Lokacin da ya kusan zama guguwa kuma wasan tennis ya yi muni? Na faɗi duk abin da ya dace. Na girmama abokin hamayyata. Ban yi mata rashin ladabi ba ko wani abu. Ban so in shiga in faɗi wani abu mara hankali kamar yadda na yi bara."
Ah, bara. Wani fashewa—da kuma wani tashin hankali. Wannan lokacin, ya kasance a wasan ƙarshe na French Open da 'yar Amurka Coco Gauff. Ta kasance tana kan gaba da set ɗaya a kan 'yar Amurka amma ta ƙare da rasa sets biyu zuwa ɗaya. Babban abin ya faru ne bayan wasan, kuma a taron manema labarai. Sabalenka ta ce shi ne "mafi munin wasan ƙarshe da na taɓa yi," tana ƙara da cewa, "Ina tsammanin ta ci wasan ba saboda..." Ta yi wasa mai ban mamaki. Kawai na yi waɗannan kurakurai duka." Ya kasance muni, rashin ladabi, da rashin mutunci.
Sabalenka ta gaya mini cewa ya fi muni fiye da duk abin da ya faru a Paris a wannan shekara. Ta ji kunyar kanta. "Wannan ya yi wuya. Da motsin raina ya huce, na je wurin tawagara na ce, 'Jama'a, za ku iya yarda cewa na faɗi haka?' Na ji muni sosai, kuma ban ji kamar kaina ba." To me ta yi? "Na ɗan jira, sannan na aika wa Coco sako don neman afuwa na gaya mata cewa ba shakka ina girmama ta. Coco 'yar wasa ce mai kyau sosai. Na yi sa'a saboda ta fahimci hakan. Ina jin cewa idan ta taɓa rasa hankali a kaina, zan ce, 'Yarinya, ci gaba. Na fahimta. Kina da kyau.'"
Lokacin da kuka gan ni a karon farko, wataƙila za ku yi tunanin ni mugu ce saboda fuskata.
Ban yi tsammanin zan ji daɗin Sabalenka ba. Ba wai ina ƙin 'yan wasan tennis masu saurin fushi waɗanda wani lokaci sukan yi rashin hankali ba. Serena Williams, wadda ta yi yawan fuskantar rikici a filin wasa, ɗaya ce daga cikin jarumawa na. Amma Sabalenka koyaushe tana karya raket, tana yi wa tawagarta tsawa, ko tana cewa an yi mata wani abu ba daidai ba. A zahiri, duk da haka, ta bambanta gaba ɗaya—mai murmushi, mai ban dariya, kuma tana sane da aibun kanta.
Sulhunta da Gauff ya nuna ta a mafi kyawun yanayinta. Sabalenka koyaushe tana son rawa. Wani lokaci rawanta na ban dariya ne (kamar raye-raye na wasa da Novak Djokovic), wani lokaci na nuna kai, kuma wani lokaci na farin ciki. Haka lamarin yake a nan. Ita da Gauff sun nuna motsinsu ga waƙar Bob Sinclar "Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now)." Sabalenka ta rubuta a TikTok dinta: "Rayen TikTok koyaushe suna da hanyar da za su kawo mutane tare."
Yaya rawar ta faru? "Mun tsara horon kawai. Sai na ce, 'Yarinya, ba ki ganin zai yi daɗi mu yi rawa mu ɗan sauƙaƙa abubuwa, don mutane a cikin al'ummar tennis su fahimci muna lafiya?'" Sun yi rawar wata ɗaya bayan faɗuwar. Shin ya ɗauki horo mai yawa? "A'a. Na san rawar, kuma Coco tana da hazaka sosai ta ɗauke shi da sauri. Ya ɗauki gwaji biyu, kuma mun samu. Ya yi kyau sosai. Ya kasance mai daɗi."
Daɗi ba lallai ba ne kalmar da za ku haɗa da Sabalenka saboda tana da ƙarfi sosai a wasanni. Ta kuma fahimci dalilin da ya sa mutane za su iya yin ra'ayi game da ita. Sabalenka ta ba da labari game da babbar kawarta a tennis, 'yar Spain Paula Badosa, wadda kuma za ta iya zama mai sanyi mai ban tsoro a filin wasa. "Lokacin da muka hadu, na ce, 'Oh, na yi tunanin ke mugu ce!' Ita kuma ta ce, 'Ni ma na yi tunanin ke mugu ce.' Na ce, 'To, ina tsammanin wannan ba gaskiya ba ne, don haka za mu iya zama abokai.' Ta ce, 'E, a gaskiya muna kama da juna sosai.' Ina tsammanin halin da muke ɗauka a filin wasa ne kawai."
Sabalenka ta ce akwai wani dalili da mutane ke tunanin ba ta da abokantaka. Fuskarta. "Lokacin da kuka gan ni a karon farko, wataƙila za ku yi tunanin ni mugu ce saboda fuskata ta Slavic. Wannan ba ya taimaka." Me take nufi? Ta ƙara girman siffofinta na halitta, kuma ba zato ba tsammani ta yi kama da tauri, ba ta murmushi, tare da dogon fuska mara daɗi. Ba za ku yi mata hankali ba. "Lokacin da nake tafiya da wannan fuska mara motsi kuma babu motsin rai, zan iya zama mai tsananin fushi. Don haka na fahimci dalilin da ya sa wasu mutane ke tunanin ni mugu ce. Lokacin da kuka san ni sosai, za ku gane cewa abu ne kawai da aka haife ni da shi."
Sabalenka ta girma a Minsk, babban birnin Belarus, ƙasar da ta sami 'yancin kai lokacin da Tarayyar Soviet ta rushe a 1991. Ta fito daga dangin wasanni. Kakanta ɗan dambe ne, kuma mahaifinta, Sergey, ya ɗan yi wasan hockey na ƙwararru kafin ya yi ritaya yana ɗan shekara 19. Bayan wani babban hatsarin mota, ya ci gaba da yin rayuwa a kasuwancin gyaran motoci, yayin da mahaifiyarta ta karanta tattalin arziki kuma ta yi aiki a duniyar kamfanoni.
Sabalenka matashiya ta kasance mai ƙarfi kuma cike da kuzari. Tana ƙarama, in ji ta, iyayenta sun ƙudura don samun wani aiki da zai hana ta shiga matsala. "Ni yarinya ce mai aiki sosai. Ba zan yi abubuwan da sauran yara suke yi a lokacin ba, kamar shan taba. Yara a Belarus sun kasance masu taurin kai. Suna so in yi rayuwa mai lafiya. Wata rana ina ɗan shekara shida, mahaifina yana wucewa kusa da wasu filayen wasan tennis kuma ya yi tunani, 'Me ya sa ba?' Don haka na gwada."
Shi ɗan wasa ne mai kyau? "A wasan tennis? A'a. Amma ya ƙarfafa ni. Ba shi ne irin iyayen da suke shiga su yi ƙoƙarin zama koci na ba."
Na tambaye ta yaya girma a Belarus yake, ƙasar da ke da mutane miliyan 9 da ke ƙarƙashin jagorancin mai mulkin kama-karya Alexander Lukashenko, wanda ya shafe shekaru 32 yana mulki. "Ina tsammanin mutanen da ke can su ne mafi kyawun hali. Kuna iya barin yaronku ya zauna a waje har dare kuma babu wani abu mara kyau da zai faru. Yana da kyau. Yana da kore sosai, kuma ina son girma a can." Ta dakata. "Yana iya zama mai wuya a wasu hanyoyi." Wani dakata. Ta yaya? "Kociyoyin na iya zama masu taurin kai a kanku. Dole ne ku zama kusan cikakke don su ba ku yabo." Me suka soki ta? "Ina buga ƙwallon da ƙarfi sosai kuma ba zan iya samun inda nake so ba. Suna kirana da wawa. Amma idan ni wawa ce kuma su suna horar da ni, wannan ya sa su zama? Duk da haka, gaba ɗaya, mutanen da ke zaune a can suna da kyau sosai kuma koyaushe za su taimake ku."
Shin ta yi kyau a makaranta? "Na kasance mai wayo!" Ta yi dariya, ɗan jin kunya. "Yana da ban dariya sosai in ce 'Na kasance mai wayo.' Amma na yi kyau sosai a makaranta. Ina da mafi girman maki har sai da na fara horo da yawa kuma na tsallake wasu azuzuwan. Makina sun ragu, amma har yanzu suna kusa da saman. Na kasance mai wayo sosai a lissafi da kimiyyar lissafi. Amma na mayar da hankalina ga wasan tennis."
Ta ƙaunaci wasan tun daga farko. "Ina son cewa kuna iya canza kowane abu a kowane lokaci. Dole ne ku ci maki 24 don cin set, kuma sets biyu ne. Idan wani abu ya ɓace, har yanzu kuna da set na uku. Ina son cewa komai yana hannunku. Ba kamar gymnastics na rhythmic ba, inda suke kimanta aikin ku kuma cin nasara ya dogara da alkalai. Ina son gasa. Ina son cin nasara. Ina son jin daɗin ingantawa, na lashe kofunan da na yi mafarki, da rayuwar da nake yi. Ina son shi, kuma ba shakka ba zan daina ba." Magana ta yi.
"Duk lokacin da na ji kamar ina riƙe da yawa, kawai ina jefa raket, in yi ihu wani abu, in bar shi ya tafi."
Yana da al'ada ga Sabalenka ta ce dole ne ku ci maki 24 don cin set. Maki 24 shine mafi ƙarancin da ake buƙata don cin set, kuma yana da wuya sosai (dole ne ku ci 6-0). Amma wannan yana faɗi komai game da tunaninta. Kuna jin cewa da gaske tana fita tana tsammanin cin kowane maki. Kuma gaskiyar cewa ba ta cin kowane maki ba (balla wasa, set, da wasa) shine tushen takaicinta.
Ta zama ƙwararriyar 'yar wasa tana ɗan shekara 17 a 2015 kuma ta ci gasar WTA ta farko a 2017 a Mumbai Open. Shekaru biyu bayan haka, mahaifinta ya mutu kwatsam yana ɗan shekara 43 bayan ya kamu da cutar meningitis. Ta yi baƙin ciki sosai. A cikin jerin shirye-shiryen Netflix na tennis Break Point, ta ce sun raba mafarki: cewa za ta lashe kambun Grand Slam guda biyu tana ɗan shekara 25. Ya zama abin sha'awa. Ta ji cewa dole ne ta yi shi don shi. A kan allo, ta ce, "Yanzu ina ɗan shekara 24 kuma babu komai a aljihuna." Ta fara firgita. Sergey shine babban abin ƙarfafawa; idan ba shi ba, ba za ta kasance a nan ba. Amma a 2023, tana ɗan shekara 24, ta lashe babban kambunta na farko—Australian Open. Kuma shekara guda bayan haka, ta kare wannan kambi cikin nasara. Ta kuma ci US Open a wannan shekarar kuma ta maimaita wannan nasarar a 2025.
Tun daga farko, ƙarfin Sabalenka shine ƙarfinta. Tana da tsayi ƙafa 6, kafadu masu faɗi, kuma tana da ƙarfi sosai. Tana iya rinjayar abokan hamayyarta daga layin baya, tana mamaye wasanni da bugu na ƙasa masu laushi waɗanda galibi suna daidaita ko wuce gudun ƙwallon manyan 'yan wasa maza. Lokacin da ta ci US Open a 2024, matsakaicin bugun gaban ta ya kasance 80 mph—sauri fiye da Carlos Alcaraz, Jannik Sinner, da Novak Djokovic a lokacin. Mafi saurin hidimarta, a 133 mph, shine na biyu mafi sauri a tarihin wasan tennis na mata kuma yana da 3 mph kawai a hankali fiye da mafi saurin Alcaraz.
A cikin Break Point, kafin nasarar Grand Slam ta farko, ta ce motsin raina ya lalata wasanta. "Ina fara yin abubuwa da yawa ga komai... Ba na son zama yaro mai motsin rai a filin wasa kuma. Dole ne in koyi yadda zan riƙe kaina a ciki, domin idan na rasa hankalina, abokan hamayyata za su iya ganin abin da ke faruwa a raina kuma za su shiga su yi wasa mafi kyau."
Na tambaye ta yadda take ji game da wannan magana yanzu. "Ina tsammanin koyaushe zai zama yaƙi mai gudana da motsin raina. Rayuwa tana jefa muku abubuwan da ba ku taɓa fuskanta ba, kuma kuna fuskantar abubuwa daban-daban a karon farko. Ba ku ma san yadda za ku yi ba, kuma koyaushe kuna yaƙi. Kuma dole in ce, tun lokacin da aka yi wannan jerin shirye-shiryen, na inganta sosai. Na fi kyau sosai a filin wasa a yanzu."
Yanzu ina da iko mafi kyau, amma ba shakka, har yanzu ina yin abubuwan da ba na alfahari da su ba.
[Bayanin hoto: Cikakken kallon 'yar wasa a cikin kaya masu kyau. Mai tsara kaya: Roberto Johnson. Gashi: Leah Caso a The Wall Group. Kayan shafa: Jojo Marchevsky a The Wall Group. Bayanan kaya: Rigar sama: Nike. Corset: Christian Cowan. Gajeren wando: AKNVAS. Kayan ado (hoton farko da na uku): Material Good. Jaket: Ferrari. Gajeren wando da rigar: Adrian Cashmere. Zobe da 'yan kunne (hoto na biyu da na ƙarshe): Dinosaur Designs. Agogo: Audemars Piguet. Takalma: Nike. Hoton: Emmie America/The Guardian]
Abin da ya canza mafi yawa shine halinta game da motsin raina. Yanzu, ta fi yarda da su. Ta ce kawai wani ɓangare ne na wanda take. "Ko da wani lokaci kuna ganina ina motsin rai ko ina yi wa akwatina tsawa, abu ne da nake buƙata. Abu ne da muka tattauna da tawagara—cewa duk lokacin da na ji kamar ina riƙe da yawa, kawai jefa raket, yi ihu wani abu, bar shi ya tafi. Yanzu ina da iko mafi kyau, amma ba shakka, har yanzu ina yin abubuwan da ba na alfahari da su ba."
Ana kallon tennis a matsayin ɗaya daga cikin mafi kyawun wasannin ƙwallon ƙafa. Amma watakila yana iya zama ɗaya daga cikin mafi wahala. Yayin da yawancin wasannin ƙwallon ƙafa na ƙungiya ne, a wasan tennis na guda kuna fita ita kaɗai. Kowane wasa yana ƙarewa da maki da aka ci ko aka rasa. A cikin shekaru, tennis ya karya 'yan wasa da yawa a hankali. John McEnroe ya yi fushi don jure matsin lamba, Serena Williams ta taɓa yin barazanar cusa ƙwallon tennis a makogwaron 'yar layin, kuma Alexander Zverev ya buga kujerar alkalin wasa sau da yawa da raketinsa. A watan Oktoban da ya gabata a Wuhan Open, Sabalenka ta jefa raketinta a filin wasa zuwa ga benci na 'yan wasa, ta ɗan rasa ɗan wasa. Ya faru ne a lokacin wani fashewa—ta kasance tana jagorantar Jessica Pegula 5-2 a set na ƙarshe kafin ta rasa 7-6.
Na gaya mata na yi hira da Björn Borg, babban ɗan wasan tennis wanda halin samurai na ƙin nuna motsin rai a filin wasa ya lalata shi a ƙarshe. Ya bar wasan a kololuwar sa kuma ya sami rugujewa wanda ya ɗauki shekaru da yawa. Idanunta koraye sun haskaka, kuma ta yi sallama da himma. "Duba. Kowa yana cewa, 'Dole ne ku kasance da iko, dole ne ku riƙe motsin rai a kwance, kada ku nuna komai.' Kuma na gano yana lalata ni daga ciki. Kuna riƙe da yawa. Don haka na nemi tawagara su yarda da ni ina yi musu tsawa—kamar, kawai jefa wannan fushi ga wanda zai iya ɗauka, don in ci gaba da yaƙi a filin wasa."
A rayuwa ta gaske, ina ƙoƙarin guje wa kowane rikici. Ina son yada farin ciki. A rayuwa ta gaske, ni mutum ne daban. Ihunta—ko ga akwatinta, ga kanta cikin takaici, ko cikin farin ciki bayan buga nasara—an auna shi a 100 decibels, matakin da tsayin daka zai iya haifar da lalacewar ji na dindindin. An zarge ta da amfani da shi azaman makami don ɓata abokan hamayyarta, abin da ta taɓa musantawa. Na tambaye ta ko ita mai ihu ce a rayuwar yau da kullum. Idan kun makale a cikin cunkoson motoci, in ce, da gaske cikin takaici, za ku iya fitar da ɗayan waɗannan ihun 100-decibel?
"A'a!" ta ce, tana kallon firgita. "Ina tsammanin yana da wuya a yi rikici da ni. Dole ne ku yi wani abu mai zafi sosai. Dole ne ku ci amanata. A rayuwa ta gaske, ba na son rikici. Ina son yada farin ciki kuma in ji farin ciki a kusa da ni. Ni mutum ne daban."
Amma tana tsammanin wannan ɗan dalili ne saboda tennis yana ba ta mafita mai kyau don fushinta. "Ina jefa komai a filin wasa. Don haka idan na yi ritaya, dole ne in sami wani abu inda zan iya fitar da shi. Wataƙila dambe." Da gaske? "E. Na ɗan yi dambe, amma yana iya zama da wahala saboda za ku iya ji rauni. Wataƙila bayan tennis, zan zama ɗan dambe kuma abin koyi."
Yayin da take magana, ina kallon wani babban lu'u-lu'u mai kama da mujiya a kan wani siririn zobe. Zoben alkawari ne, wanda aka kiyasta darajarsa ta kai dala miliyan 1. "Dutse ne," in ji ta. Sai na ɗaga kai na kalli fuskarta na ga wasu duwatsu biyu suna rataye a kunnuwanta. Suna daidaita? "A'a, kowanne carat huɗu da rabi ne. Zoben carat 12 ne." A wuyanta, tana sanye da raket na zinariya mai ɗauke da lu'u-lu'u ruwan hoda, rawaya, da kore. Ta yi kama da ta yi fashi a Tiffany.
Wani lokaci na Sabalenka ya zo a ɗayan mafi farin cikin hirarraki bayan wasa bayan ta ci Brisbane Open a watan Janairun nan. Daga tsakiyar filin wasa, ta ɗaga kai ta kalli saurayinta, ɗan kasuwa dan Brazil Georgios Frangulis, ta ce: "Na gode wa saurayina... Da fatan, ba da daɗewa ba zan kira ku da wani abu, ko? Bari mu ɗan ƙara matsin lamba." Tabbas, ta sami abin da take so. Wata biyu bayan haka, ya nemi aurenta kafin gasar Indian Wells Open a California kuma ya ba ta zoben alkawari mai siffar kwai. Ta yi farin ciki sosai da zoben har ta sa shi a lokacin wasanni. "Na sami ɗan tabo bayan wasa. Don haka tun daga lokacin, ban sake yin wasa da zoben ba." Frangulis, wanda ya kafa sarkar acai Oakberry, an kiyasta darajarsa tsakanin dala miliyan 75 da dala miliyan 100. Sabalenka ta ci kusan dala miliyan 50 a kyaututtuka kuma an kiyasta darajarta ta kai dala miliyan 22.
Rayuwarta ta waje ta yi kusan labarai masu yawa kamar wasan tennis. Lokacin da ta fara dangantaka tana ɗan shekara 23 da tauraron hockey Konstantin Koltsov, wanda ya girme ta da shekaru 17, matarsa kuma mahaifiyar 'ya'yansa maza uku, Yulia Mikhailova, an ruwaito ta yi wa Sabalenka alama a hoton iyali a Instagram tare da taken da aka fassara a hankali: "Kira ga duk 'yan matan da ke rataye a kan mazajen wasu da jarirai a cikin iyali! Yana da muni!"
A watan Maris 2024, Koltsov ya kashe kansa a Florida a farkon gasar Miami Open, inda Sabalenka ke wasa. Ta fitar da sanarwa tana cewa: "Mutuwar Konstantin babban bala'i ne mara misaltuwa, kuma yayin da ba mu tare ba, zuciyata ta karye." An yi imanin sun rabu 'yan makonni kafin. Mikhailova ta fitar da sanarwa tana cewa ta gafarta wa Sabalenka, cewa rubutunta na farko "hanyar motsin rai ne," kuma 'yar wasan tennis "yarinya ce mai kyau." Ta ce: "Sabalenka ta bi da 'ya'yana da kyau, don haka ina da hali na yau da kullum game da ita." Lokacin da Sabalenka da Frangulis suka bayyana dangantakarsu a 2024, matarsa, Isabella Armentano, ta nuna cewa sun daɗe suna yin lalata.
Ba duk cece-kuce a rayuwar Sabalenka ba ne nata. 'Yan wasan tennis na Ukraine ba za su yi musafaha da ita ba (ko wasu 'yan wasan Rasha da Belarus). Yana sa kallo ya zama mai ban kunya. Wani lokaci, Sabalenka ta jira a raga don musafaha wanda bai zo ba. Wasu sun nuna cewa ta yi da gangan don jawo hankali ga tashin hankali, amma Sabalenka ta nace cewa kawai ta manta.
Shin tana jin an hukunta ta saboda ta fito daga Belarus, ƙasar da ta goyi bayan Rasha a yaƙinta da Ukraine? "Na fahimci dalilin da ya sa suke yin hakan. Amma ina fata za mu iya aiki tare don shawo kan shi, domin ba wanda yake son yaƙi. Kamar, ba kowa. Ba wanda ya zaɓi yaƙi ya faru. Kowa yana son zaman lafiya kuma ya daina."
Shin tana tsammanin daidai ne a kawo yaƙi a filin wasa? "A'a. Ba na tsammanin daidai ne. Ina jin cewa musafaha yana nuna girmamawa ga wani mutum a matsayin ɗan wasa, ba a matsayin wani daga wata ƙasa ba. Amma ba zan iya zarge su ba. Suna yaƙi don zaman lafiya a ƙasarsu. Ina ƙin lokacin da siyasa ta haɗu da wasanni."
Amma yawancin cece-kuce sun kasance nata. Ɗauki wasan Battle of the Sexes na Disambar da ya gabata da "mugun yaro" dan Australia Nick Kyrgios (wanda, ban da yawan rashin halayensa a filin wasa, ya yarda ya ci wa tsohuwar budurwarsa hari). An tallata shi a matsayin sake buga wasan tarihi na 1973 inda Billie Jean King ta doke tsohon ɗan wasa kuma mai kiran kansa "mazan maza" Bobby Riggs. Yawancin marubutan wasanni sun ba da shawara a kan wasan Sabalenka-Kyrgios, suna nuna cewa lokaci ya canza, yaƙin neman daidaiton albashi ya fi nasara (mata suna samun daidai a Grand Slams, kodayake ba koyaushe a ƙananan gasa ba), kuma babu wani abu da za a samu kuma komai za a rasa. A lokacin, Kyrgios ba shi da tsari kuma yana matsayi na 671 a duniya. Sabalenka ta ce za ta yi iya ƙarfinta "don harba masa," amma ta gaza sosai, ta rasa 6-3, 6-3.
Na tambaye ta ko tana tsammanin masu sukar da suka annabta cewa zai zama abin kunya kuma ya cutar da wasan tennis na mata sun yi daidai. Ta girgiza kai. "A'a, ba na tsammanin haka. Ga wasu mutane, ba ku taɓa isa ba. Girma a Belarus ya koya mini kada in damu da hakan. Amma akwai kuma mutanen da suka fahimci abin da muke yi. Muna so mu nuna za ku iya jin daɗi kuma ku kawo ƙarin hankali ga tennis. Lambobin masu kallo sun yi yawa."
Wannan ba gaskiya ba ne
