Aryna Sabalenka has a new coach on board at Cincinnati Open

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MASON, Ohio — Max Mirnyi won the 1998 U.S. Open and Wimbledon mixed doubles titles with Serena Williams and lost in the finals of the 1999 Australian Open. With Williams. Miryni joined the staff of Aryna Sabalenka in January. So Miryni knows about mercurial ladies who have good hearts but short tempers.
'First thing I want everybody to know,' said the 48-year-old Mirnyi who beat Roger Federer at the 2002 U.S. Open in singles, 'is that Aryna is the sweetest, nicest girl. Please, everybody believe that.'
Sabalenka is the No. 1-ranked player in the world , and the top seed and defending champion of the Cincinnati Open. She beat Spain's Jessica Bouzas Maneiro 6-1, 7-5 Wednesday in what was supposed to be a day match but became a night match due to rain.
Her victory earned her a fourth round meeting with 9th-seeded Elena Rybakina, the 2022 Wimbledon champion. Rybakina upset No. 6 American Madison Keys 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2. Keys had won her first major at this year's Australian Open.
It is not unlike Sabalenka to be undecided with her tennis sometimes. She was very decided on winning just about every point in the first set, taking only 27 minutes to dominate the world's 42nd-ranked player.
In the second set, though, Sabalenka seemed to lose her concentration or her head or her mind and most definitely her shots. It wasn't until the 12th and final game of the set until Sabalenka hit a most massive forehand winner into the corner that she could raise her arms in triumph and give a wry smile.
Sabalenka hired Miryni to help her with her net game and her serve.
But before we get to Aryna, how was that Miryni ended up playing mixed doubles with Serena?
'Our father's met at The Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Florida,' Miryni said. 'Her dad's name is Richard, right? Both our dads were a little crazy. I was about four years older than Serena and the dads got together and said their kids should play mixed together. I'm just mad we didn't win that Australian. So close to three in a row.'
Miryni was asked to join the Sabalenka team by her head coach Anton Dubrov. Miryni had been an accomplished serve-volley player and the thinking is that Sabalenka should be able to use her skills coming off her big serve by volleying more.
The pop sound that comes off Sabalenka's racket is telling. There is special power there that not all players have. Her footwork is good and she will bravely try any shot. And the very first point of the match showed what Miryni wants her to do. Sabalenka hit a massive serve and and went full out on a forehand that may have dented the court.
Sabalenka, 27, now and in her prime, has earned a bit of a reputation as being a sore loser and even on the court she would break a racket or two or bellow her frustrations loudly after bad shots. There was video of her tearing up a locker room after last year's U.S. Open and she was accused of not being nice enough to Coco Gauff after the Belarusian lost to the American in this year's French Open final.
'And that is so wrong,' Miryni said. Sabalenka was on a practice court on Aug. 12 for about 40 minutes when it started to rain. 'There were fans, hundreds of them, watching Aryna. Most of the other players went running inside – the superstars. But Aryna stayed and attended to every fan, signed autographs, did the selfies.
'That, to me, was great to see. It speaks a lot about a person and I did not know this about here when we first got together. She is a charming girl and many people have the wrong impression of her.'
In fact, Sabalenka grows on you. She makes fun of herself plenty off the court. It seemed fine to see her destroy rackets out of the public eye in the locker room. It means she really cares and some people need that release of anger or disgust or disappointment to come out loud and long. And then move on.
'Her hunger and determination are amazing and despite her achievements she knows how much room she has for improvement. She wants to not just win a tournament but to maximize her potential,' Miryni said.
Sabalenka has won three majors − the Australian Open twice (2023 and 2024) and the 2024 U.S. Open. Miryni says her goals are much bigger.
Because Belarus is tied up with Russia in the Ukrainian war, Sabalenka never sees her flag or hears her anthem at sporting events. He says that bothers Sabalenka. 'It hurts her,' he said. 'Belarus is a small country and those things matter.'
Miryni thinks he has had a positive effect on Sabalenka. 'She's a strong, dominating girl, she's got a strong, dominating game but a little more backhand slice and coming into the net after a big serve or back up a powerful groundstroke at the net, I think it could give her new levels.'
Sabalenka agrees. 'He wants to move forward always,' Sabalenka said. 'On my serve he's getting me to control my body better, push with my legs, bring my chest up. Nothing really major, but little things that really help.'
Her partner for the new U.S. Open one-weekend mixed doubles tournament pulled out and it was suggested that Sabalenka might rope in Miryni. 'We talked about it,' she said, laughing, 'but with the doping system, it's not possible. But it would have been so fun.'
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Aryna Sabalenka coach Max Mirnyi talks WTA No. 1 at Cincinnati Open