Aryna Sabalenka Finds an Edge with Max Mirnyi

Aryna Sabalenka is no stranger to bringing in big names to sharpen her already dominant game, and this summer one of Belarus’ greatest tennis exports joined her corner.

“Just out of the blue this year, I got a call from Anton after Wimbledon, and we had a chat and he asked me if I'm available to come in and maybe just have a general, casual tennis conversation with the team,” Max Mirnyi said, recalling how his new role alongside Sabalenka’s crew first came together.

The former doubles world No. 1 is well aware of Sabalenka’s journey, having crossed paths with her coaches Anton Dubrov and Andrei Vasilevski over the years. “I would always send them a greeting message congratulating them with some success,” Mirnyi explained. “I would always offer them a word of support.”

Above: Max Mirnyi and Aryna Sabalenka after winning the womens singles title at the US Open. Photo courtesy of Max Mirnyi.

When Mirnyi finally got the call to step in, he didn’t hesitate. “They just kind of asked me to be part of their effort... [during] the US hardcourt season,” he said. “And I was flattered to be considered in efforts of making her even better, even though she's already at the top of the game.”

His first stop was a block of training in Florida prior to the Cincinnati Open. “I spent a week with them there,” Mirnyi said. “Got to spend some valuable time on the practice courts, in the gym, and just kind of more of an easy environment.”

That bonding period in Florida paid off when the tour moved north. “Cincinnati was the first week on the road, and that was rather productive, even though she lost to Rybakina,” he said. “But that didn’t discourage her personally or any one of us." 

Above: Max Mirnyi pumps his fist while watching Aryna Sabalenka. Photo courtesy of Greg Sharko.

The US Open had been where it all started to click. Sabalenka has been dominant behind her serve, and Mirnyi couldn’t be happier to contribute in that department. “For me, this is pretty much second nature — speaking and thinking of serving productivity as it was a bigger part of my game,” he said. “And she certainly presents a lot of force with the serve.”

Mirnyi stressed the numbers that matter most. “Being closer to 70% for serve percentage than, say, versus being at 60% or maybe below 50%… [this can] bring much higher efficiency in her game overall,” he explained. “Because she's very powerful, as we know, and a very dictating player and serve is the first shot that you start the point with.”

While stats matter, Mirnyi also emphasizes improving mental focus. “Being there, present in a moment, to [be present] each step of the way of the match and making adjustments on the move if needed,” he said. "She's excited about the opportunity. I'm excited being on her team at this point.”

Photo courtesy of Max Mirnyi.

Mirnyi has perspective from years of competing at Flushing Meadows himself. “My sort of birth as a professional player happened in this country,” Mirnyi said. “I came at first as a junior... under the supervision of Nick Bollettieri in Florida and my first port of entry to this country was New York.”

His New York roots run deep. “Brooklyn, New York was my home for the first year in the U.S. when I was 14 years old,” he recalled. By the late 1990s, he was a fixture at the US Open. “1998 was my really full year as a legitimate player,” Mirnyi said. “For many years after that, this was my really kind of like a first home slam.”

The transformation of the grounds over the decades hasn’t been lost on him. “I feel like I was the witness of all the remodeling and modernization of the site,” he said. “It's great to see that an event of this magnitude continues to get even better.”

Above: A look back at Lleyton Hewitt and Max Mirnyi at the US Open after winning the men's doubles title in 2000. Photo courtesy of Max Mirnyi.

And as for being back in Ashe Stadium, he feels both nostalgia and awe. “When I remember my first U.S. Opens, first as a spectator, the center court was the Louis Armstrong… Louis Armstrong felt humongous,” he said. “And the vibe of New York, Flushing Meadows is incredible.”

It’s that energy he hopes Sabalenka can channel moving ahead. “Here, it seems like every single fan certainly has their own opinion,” Mirnyi said. “It brings electricity in the air and certainly all the players feel it.”

As the final point was clinched, the roar from Arthur Ashe Stadium was electric — Sabalenka had successfully defended her U.S. Open title, defeating Amanda Anisimova 6-3, 7-6(7-3) to claim her second straight U.S. Open crown and fourth Grand Slam singles title overall.

But the magic didn’t stop there. That night marked an extraordinary milestone for Max Mirnyi too. It was exactly 25 years since his first U.S. Open men’s doubles triumph (with Lleyton Hewitt in 2000). The rising star and the seasoned veteran converged, reminding us that in tennis, as in life, the past and present often collide in the most meaningful of ways.

===

Written by Florida Tennis Editor Matt Pressman. Interview conducted by (and courtesy of) Greg Sharko. Top photo courtesy of Max Mirnyi.