Anything you can do: Sabalenka and Sinner train together at Wimbledon
What's better than one World No. 1 on the practice court? How about two!
Aryna Sabalenka and Jannik Sinner linked up for a pre-Wimbledon practice session on the grass courts of Aorangi Park in London on Monday -- and by the end of the day, Sabalenka earned herself bragging rights by beating Sinner at his own game.
After warming up together, the reigning Australian Open champions went head-to-head for some target practice: In the drill, they each aimed for a ball tube placed in front of the other, and tried to knock it over.
Though both players are known for their ball-striking talent, Sabalenka's accuracy won out in the end. After missing a few shots long of the baseline, she reigned it the power and nailed her target with a pitch-perfect backhand slice.
While fans loved the crossover event, Sinner's team may have felt a little differently in defeat. As a punishment, the Italian's coached and trainers completed a round of push-ups -- much to the amusement of all involved.
After practice, the pair shared a handshake and laugh, while Sabalenka reveled in coming out on top.
“I hit with the best and then I am done,” she said in a message on Wimbledon’s social media channels.
Sabalenka and Sinner are both chasing their first Wimbledon title, and fourth Grand Slam trophy overall. They will top the respective singles draws as the No. 1 seeds, and their potential path to the coveted trophies will be revealed later this week.
