Target Practice: Aryna Sabalenka returns to Wimbledon on her own terms with emphatic opener

WATCH: Sabalenka was ruthless through a 6-3, 6-1 demolition of Panna Udvardy on Tuesday.

One would be forgiven for forgetting that there were two people on court for Aryna Sabalenka’s first round at Wimbledon, for even the eyes not instinctively trained on the No. 2 seed were hard-pressed to look away from her one-woman show and 62-minute demolition of Hungary’s Panna Udvardy.

For starters, it was her first time at the All England Club since her narrow defeat in the 2021 semifinals, which at the time was the best major result of her young career. The 25-year-old has ostensibly lived several lifetimes in the subsequent 24 months, from an agonizingly public battle with the service yips to rebuilding the shot’s very biomechanics in time to win her maiden major title at the 2023 Australian Open.

In between, she was barred from competing at Wimbledon—along with the other Belarusian and Russian nationals in response to their governments’ invasion into Ukraine.

Sabalenka has been pressed repeatedly for her take on the war and, after delivering a full and clear condemnation—both at Roland Garros and in the Break Point Netflix docuseries—has opted against further comment at Wimbledon, where journalistic interest in the subject is undoubtedly at its highest.

I want to progress with every match, but at the same time I want to start on the high level from the very first match. Aryna Sabalenka

“I'm not going to talk about politics,” she said to open her pre-tournament press conference. “I'm here to talk about tennis only. Please respect that. If you have any kind of political questions, you can ask WTA or the tournament. They can send you the transcript of my answers from the previous tournaments.”

Her match against Udvardy did much to keep the conversation not only on the tennis, but also on her considerable chances of leaving SW19 with a second major title—and the No. 1 ranking—in hand. While the latter may depend on how chief rival Iga Swiatek fares, the former appears entirely within her control.

“I prefer to bring my highest level from the very first match so I have more energy in the last stages of the tournament,” she said after dispatching Udvardy, 6-3, 6-1.

“Of course, I mean, you can progress your game every match you play, like adjusting a little bit to the conditions. I mean, I want to progress with every match, but at the same time I want to start on the high level from the very first match.”

Playing all-out offense from first ball to last, Sabalenka’s big swings found even bigger targets beneath the Centre Court roof, earning 29 winners to 19 unforced errors and 33 of the 43 points played on serve. So confident and relaxed was Sabalenka that she even attempted a tweener that endeared her to the crowd if not proved itself a hitherto underutilized part of her high-octane arsenal.

“I didn’t realize how much I missed this place until my match,” she said to thunderous applause during her on-court interview.

“I'm always enjoying my game here at Wimbledon, enjoying the atmosphere,” she added in press. “It was really tough period for me last year. I was just super happy to be here this year. Since then I really enjoyed every second today on court.”

While rain kept most of the field on ice for a second straight day, the indoor conditions put Sabalenka completely in her element and ahead of the curve—despite a tricky draw that includes former quarterfinalist Camila Giorgi and No. 16 seed Karolina Muchova, who shocked Sabalenka from match point down in the Roland Garros semifinals only just last month.

“That was really tough, tough end of the tournament,” she reflected over the weekend. “I was really disappointed with that loss. But then we spoke with my team. It was a good lesson for me.”

Where the Wimbledon grass can yet neutralize top seed Swiatek’s heavy topspin and nearly sent defending champ Elena Rybakina stumbling out of the tournament, Sabalenka looks ready to teach some lessons of her own, employing a game plan that will continue to command attention as the fortnight unfolds.