Sabalenka: "On the court, I remind myself how strong I am"

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Those who are solely following the scores of this 2025 Australian Open might think that Aryna Sabalenka is strolling through the women's singles draw. After all, she has reached the fourth round without dropping a set, right? However, the Belarusian has faced pressure moments in each of her matches, including this Friday against Clara Tauson, but you know how the best players are: in adversity, they bring out their best. Just four steps away from her goal of reigning again in Melbourne, the world No.1 stopped by the press room to explain her condition as she enters the second week of competition.

Hard-fought Victory

"It was definitely a very tough match, she played incredible tennis, so I really had to put everything together to get this win. I would say it challenged me mostly mentally, so I am very happy to have been able to fight until the end no matter how the scoreboard looked. I'm leaving super happy with this victory."

Tauson's Potential

"I'm not sure if she will win a Grand Slam or not, but we have seen that there are many players on the WTA tour who can achieve it. I definitely see her breaking into the top 10; today she played incredible tennis, served well, hit really heavy shots. She put a lot of pressure on me, performed well under pressure, showed a great level on her part. If she keeps working and improving like this, playing as she did today, I'm sure she'll be up there."

Even Tougher Than She Thinks

"During this match, I thought about it many times, how tough am I! There were many tough situations this morning, but I always stayed there, trying to press her, putting in a lot of effort. What I kept thinking the whole time was how tough everything was, but I've been battling against many factors in recent years. I believe all those tough experiences have made me a very tough person."

Her Affinity with the Rod Laver Arena

"The atmosphere helps me a lot here; it's like playing with my people present. I truly feel the support at all times. It's incredible, like a dream, that's why I'm so motivated every time I come here. The statistics are incredible, honestly, if someone had told me five years ago, I would have found it hard to believe. I don't know if the statistics help me win matches, as I still have to be there, fighting for every point and bringing out my best tennis. If I don't bring out my best tennis, then I need the best fighting spirit. I take it step by step, trying to focus on myself."

Serve Becomes Crucial

"Winning the first set was key, it was a very tough set, it gave me some mental strength to be able to win this match and even to start serving better. The conditions were a bit heavy for servers, it doesn't give you as much advantage as usual, the balls are very heavy, and the courts are slower. Sometimes you have to place the serve and play the rally."

A Thought That Prevents Her from Giving Up

"It's a combination of everything; I just remind myself how strong I am, how much I wanted this when I was a child. Then I look at the stands, see all the people sitting there, cheering me on, helping me achieve my dreams. I can't give up with so many people out there, they push me to do my best. When I hear the crowd's support, I can't give up so easily, all of this helps me stay motivated and keep fighting no matter what."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka: “En pista me repito a mí misma lo fuerte que soy”