“I Have Heard I Am Stupid” – Aryna Sabalenka Reveals How Coaches Brutally Crushed Her Confidence Amid Ongoing Controversies

In a sport where mental strength is as crucial as physical dominance, tennis often exerts immense psychological pressure on its athletes.

While the public sees the trophies, fame, and moments of triumph under stadium lights, the deeper layers often go unnoticed—layers filled with pain, doubt, and crushing criticism.

For Aryna Sabalenka, the reigning force of raw power on the WTA Tour, that pressure has often come not just from her opponents or the media—but from the very people meant to support her.

In a raw and deeply emotional interview released following her shock defeat at a Grand Slam semifinal, Sabalenka broke her silence on the years of inner struggle, mental toll, and the harsh words that shaped her journey.

“I have heard I am stupid. I’ve been told I can’t think. That I’m just a ball basher. These words come from coaches. People who were supposed to build me up. They crushed me.”

These were the chilling words that sent a wave of reflection across the tennis community.

This is not just the story of a champion’s path to victory, but of the emotional scars left along the way.

It is a story of overcoming not just the world, but oneself. And, more painfully, of facing betrayal by those entrusted with belief and encouragement.

In this article, we take a deep dive into Sabalenka’s tumultuous career journey, the controversial coaching decisions that nearly derailed her mental well-being, and how she’s fighting to rewrite her story with resilience, honesty, and self-empowerment.

The Rise of a Belarusian Titan

Born on May 5, 1998, in Minsk, Belarus, Aryna Sabalenka’s tennis journey began in an environment that valued discipline, toughness, and ambition.

Her early life was shaped by the post-Soviet athletic infrastructure, with intense training and minimal emotional guidance.

By the age of 15, she was recognized as a national talent—feared for her power game and fierce demeanor on the court.

By 2018, Sabalenka had broken into the top 20, showcasing a playing style defined by unrelenting aggression, bludgeoning forehands, and a serve that could shatter radar guns.

Yet beneath that exterior was a young woman desperate for validation—not just from crowds, but from her team.

“I always looked to my coaches for support, for reassurance. But when I lost, they often just stared at me like I had disappointed the world,” she said.

Behind the Curtain: The Culture of Brutality

Sabalenka’s revelations sparked debate not just because of her ranking or profile, but because they shed light on an uncomfortable norm within professional tennis—the culture of hyper-criticism from coaching staff, especially towards women athletes.

“One of my first coaches told me that I was ‘lucky’ I could hit hard because ‘you’ll never win with your brain.’ That stuck with me for years,” Sabalenka confessed.

The internalization of such remarks, repeated over years of development, led Sabalenka into a cycle of self-doubt.

At times, her fiery demeanor on the court was misinterpreted as arrogance.

But behind those screams and slammed rackets was a player grappling with deep emotional bruising.

“When I played badly, I wasn’t just dealing with a loss. I was preparing myself for the silence, the disappointment, and the words: ‘you’re not good enough.’”

While male players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic often benefit from coaching relationships based on mutual trust and emotional support, many WTA athletes have opened up in recent years about being treated as robotic commodities—taught to obey, not to think.

The Serve Crisis and a Public Unraveling

In 2021 and 2022, Sabalenka experienced one of the most public collapses in recent tennis history—her serve completely disintegrated. She racked up double faults at an alarming rate, with one match in Australia seeing her serve 21 in a single contest.

The media pounced. Commentators mocked.

Fans were bewildered. But the hardest critics? Her own coaching team.

“They blamed me,” she said. “They told me to ‘just get over it.’ That it was my problem. One told me, ‘You’re overthinking because you’re not smart enough to trust your instincts.’”

Sabalenka described this period as the darkest of her life. She stopped sleeping well.

She began questioning her worth not only as a player but as a person.

“I felt broken. Not because I couldn’t serve. But because I believed I was broken.”

What made it more painful was the growing tension between her public image—a fearsome competitor—and her private turmoil.

Controversies and Misunderstandings

Part of Sabalenka’s battle has been media portrayal. Her intensity on the court has often led to unfair labels: “emotional,” “uncoachable,” “volatile.” During heated exchanges with her team during matches, she was described as being out of control.

But Sabalenka says it’s a misunderstanding born out of pain.

“When I scream on court, it’s not rage—it’s hurt. It’s frustration at being misunderstood. At being constantly told I’m not enough.”

In 2022, a heated exchange with her coach during a clay-court tournament in Madrid went viral.

Sabalenka could be seen yelling “Then why are you even here?” at her box, before bursting into tears after losing in the second round.

Media outlets labeled the moment a “meltdown.” What few knew was that it followed a pre-match session where, according to Sabalenka, her coach said she was “mentally lazy.”

“I’m not ashamed to say it: I cried for two days after that match. Not because I lost, but because I felt humiliated.”

A Turning Point: Leaving Toxic Environments

By late 2022, Sabalenka made a decision that would ultimately redefine her career trajectory: she fired her long-time coaching staff and began working with a new, smaller team of handpicked professionals.

“It was the hardest thing I ever did. But I had to protect my mental health. I had to be around people who believed in me.”

Among the changes was hiring a sports psychologist who began undoing years of mental conditioning.

“She taught me that I’m not stupid. That I’m not just a power hitter. That it’s okay to be emotional—and that it doesn’t make me weak.”

The transformation was immediate. In 2023, Sabalenka stormed to her first Grand Slam title at the Australian Open, defeating Elena Rybakina in a thrilling final.

The image of her collapsing in joy, then hugging her team while sobbing, became one of the year’s most iconic sports moments.

“That win was for every girl who’s been told they’re not smart enough, not tough enough. For every girl who’s been shouted at by someone in power.”

Redefining What Coaching Should Be

Sabalenka’s story has reignited conversations across the tennis world. Should there be oversight on the conduct of coaches? Should the WTA impose psychological safety standards?

Other players have chimed in. Ons Jabeur posted:

“Coaches need to build, not break. Aryna’s story is brave—and sadly, not rare.”

Coco Gauff, who has often spoken about her tight bond with her coaching team, praised Sabalenka for speaking up.

“There are a lot of silent struggles in this sport. When someone like Aryna opens up, it empowers the rest of us.”

There’s growing recognition that tennis needs an athlete-first approach, especially for young women who often face not just athletic pressure but societal expectations around behavior, body image, and emotion.

The Warrior Within

Today, Aryna Sabalenka is a different athlete—not just in form, but in spirit.

In 2024, she made back-to-back Slam finals, won multiple WTA 1000 titles, and finished the season as World No. 1.

More importantly, she did it her way—with a team that encourages her voice, embraces her fire, and values her intellect.

She’s become a vocal advocate for mental health, launching the Sabalenka Strong Foundation, which aims to provide psychological support and mentorship to young tennis players navigating the professional circuit.

“I want to be the coach I never had—for the next generation,” she said.

The Takeaway: More Than a Champion

Aryna Sabalenka’s career arc is no longer just about the serve, the roar, or the trophies.

It’s about overcoming emotional oppression, about reclaiming one’s narrative, and about dismantling outdated coaching paradigms.

Her statement—“I have heard I am stupid”—isn’t just a reflection of past hurt. It’s a defiant declaration that such cruelty no longer defines her.

And perhaps, it’s a call to the tennis world to evolve—not just technically or physically, but ethically and emotionally.

Closing Words: From Surviving to Leading

In one of her latest interviews, when asked how she sees herself now, Sabalenka smiled and said:

“I’m not perfect. But I am powerful. Not just in my shots—but in my story. I’m proud of how far I’ve come.”

That power, now, is undeniable. It is not merely in her game, but in her courage to be vulnerable, to be human, and to demand better—not just for herself, but for every future champion with a dream and a heart.