From the moment Aryna Sabalenka entered Court Philippe-Chatrier on Wednesday afternoon, it was clear something was off. She immediately looked uncomfortable, bending over between points, holding her stomach and wildly gesticulating to members of her team. Midway through the opening set, the Belarusian called the trainer and began gulping down pills.
A physically compromised opponent is an opportunity, but in tennis it can also be a curse. In her first grand slam quarter-final, Mirra Andreeva was charged with keeping her opponent’s struggles and the significance of the moment out of her head, instead focusing only on playing the next point to the best of her ability.
