Aryna Sabalenka’s ‘Tough Spot’ Involving Elena Rybakina Draws Steve Johnson’s Verdict After Toronto Exit

Aryna Sabalenka has not made the best start to her North American hardcourt swing, crashing out of the Canadian Open in the fourth round. Former American player Steve Johnson has shared his insight into what could be affecting the world No. 1's performance on the court.

Why Steve Johnson Feels Aryna Sabalenka Is in a 'Tough Spot'

Following her fourth-round exit at Wimbledon, Sabalenka enjoyed a brief break before arriving at the WTA 1000 event in Toronto. She looked refreshed and in good touch as she kicked off her campaign by defeating Moyuka Uchijima and Zhang Shuai in straight sets.

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However, Ekaterina Alexandrova presented a far tougher challenge in their fourth-round encounter. Although Sabalenka fought back strongly after losing the first set and even saved two match points in the decider, Alexandrova eventually claimed a 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-4 victory.

Speaking on the "Nothing Major" podcast, Steve Johnson highlighted the world No. 1's impressive 24-1 winning record on hard courts in the first half of the 2026 season. He suggested that Sabalenka was expected to maintain that same level of dominance on the surface after relatively underwhelming results on clay and grass.

"Sabalanka, after Wimbledon, she was like, 'I'm going away from tennis.' She wants to go on vacation, get drunk, and kind of reset. And that was important for her because she was 24-1 on hard courts this year leading up to this, from obviously start of the year through Miami, she won the Sunshine double, final in Australia, won Brisbane," Johnson said.

"So, she has been absolutely dominant on the hardcourts and you felt like she was going to get back to that, but she played pretty good in her first match and then, you know, she ends up losing to Ekaterina Alexandrova in a tough three setter," he added.

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However, Johnson feels that Sabalenka is in a "tough spot" as she attempts to rediscover her best level while dealing with the threat of Elena Rybakina, who is closing in on the world No. 1 ranking.

"I thought she did a good job battling back, but it just feels like she's anxious out there, right? She wants to win. She wants to get back to where she was. And that's a tough spot to be in because I feel like for Sabalenka, with how much kind of personality and fun she can have on the court, when she's having fun, I feel like she plays better," he said.

Rybakina, who is through to the quarterfinals in Toronto, would pull to within just four points of Sabalenka's top spot (8,670 to 8,666) if she clinches the Canadian Open title.

"And it just feels like right now she's gripping the racket a little tight. She could lose her No. 1 spot in the world coming up if Rybakina has a good week here in Montreal and in Cincinnati," Johnson added.

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MORE: Aryna Sabalenka Defends Her Bold US Open Outfit Amid Criticism – 'You Cannot Impress Everyone'

Aryna Sabalenka will hope to deliver a stronger campaign at the Cincinnati Open, with her title defense at the US Open around the corner. The WTA 1000 event is set to begin on August 13.

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