Sabalenka Returns to Sports Psychologist Ahead of Finals
The world No. 2 says she is again working with a psychologist as she opens WTA Finals Group 2 play against Karolina Muchova on Monday.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Tennis
Aryna Sabalenka confirmed she is working with a sports psychologist again ahead of the WTA Finals. The world No. 2 has not won a title since March and opens Group 2 play against Karolina Muchova on Monday.
Why it matters
Sabalenka has held the No. 2 ranking since Elena Rybakina claimed the top spot at the US Open, yet she has lost major finals to Rybakina in Melbourne and New York. Her decision to return to a psychologist points to an effort to regain focus during a stretch without a title.
Muchova leads their head-to-head 3-2, though Sabalenka beat her 6-3, 6-4 in the 2026 Brisbane semifinals. Sabalenka has qualified for the WTA Finals six times without winning the title, and it remains unclear whether the psychologist work will alter that record.
The players
Aryna Sabalenka
Aryna Sabalenka is a Belarusian professional tennis player who has been ranked among the top two in the WTA rankings and won multiple Grand Slam finals.
Karolina Muchova
Karolina Muchova is a Czech professional tennis player known for her all-court game and her 2023 run to the Wimbledon final.
Elena Rybakina
Elena Rybakina is a Kazakhstan-born professional tennis player who won Wimbledon in 2022 and claimed the world No. 1 ranking after the US Open.
The details
Sabalenka confirmed the psychologist work in response to a reporter's question before her Indian Wells campaign opener. She said she is trying to stop overthinking, trust her instincts more and leave some issues behind, and that she needed someone to help her find herself again. She had previously worked with a psychologist for four or five seasons before stepping away in 2025.
Timeline
2022: Sabalenka lost the WTA Finals final to Caroline Garcia.
2025: Sabalenka stepped away from her psychologist and lost the Riyadh final to Elena Rybakina.
January 2026: Sabalenka beat Muchova in the Brisbane semifinals.
March 2026: Sabalenka won her last title before the drought.
Monday: Sabalenka opens WTA Finals Group 2 play against Muchova.
Season Trajectory
Sabalenka's return to a psychologist reverses her 2025 decision to step away from that support, a period that preceded her losses to Elena Rybakina in major finals. Her WTA Finals opener against Karolina Muchova on Monday will show whether the renewed focus on her mental game shifts a season in which she has not won since March.
Sabalenka's Monday opener against Muchova sets the early standings for Group 2 at the WTA Finals. For fantasy and betting readers, the match is the first test of whether her renewed psychologist work translates into results after a title drought of roughly eight months.
The takeaway
Sabalenka's willingness to revisit a psychologist after stepping away suggests that mental adjustments can be a practical tool for players seeking to regain form. Readers following her season can watch how she handles the WTA Finals pressure as a measure of that approach.
What happens next
Sabalenka opens WTA Finals Group 2 play against Karolina Muchova on Monday.
Further reading
For more on the women's game, see the latest Tennis coverage.
