
A significant scare that Aryna Sabalenka experienced this Tuesday at the 2025 Australian Open. In a duel where the end of the road was already in sight, the world No. 1 had to grit her teeth to neutralize the rebellion of Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, who ultimately perished on the shore. Once again, the Belarusian had to solve a puzzle on the court, but so far no one has been able to stop her, which is why she finds herself in the semifinals again. There she will face her good friend Paula Badosa, whom she was asked about in the press conference among other topics.
A tricky match
“The conditions were crazy, the wind was blowing very strongly, I think it was very tough for both of us. I just can’t be happier about how I secured the victory, it was really tough, so I'm happy to have overcome this challenge. I am proud of how I managed to regroup in the last set, to somehow get back into the match. I could keep fighting, keep trying, until turning the match around. But yes, it was really tough”.
Badosa in the semifinals
“She is a great player, a girl who has been through a lot in her career. Now she has regained her best game, so I am happy to see her like this. I have watched some of her matches in this tournament, I think she is playing very good tennis, but what I need to do is focus on myself. I have to stay aggressive, put her under a lot of pressure. I am also very excited to face her in a semifinal, it will definitely be a great battle, I am looking forward to it”.
Aiming for her third title in Melbourne
“I am happy to have put myself in a position where I have the opportunity to join that group of women, become one of them. Being alongside those names is like a dream to me, I acknowledge that this idea has always been in my head, although my main focus day by day is to take it step by step. I know that if I can show my best version, if I bring out my best tennis, in addition to combining it with my fighting spirit, then I know I can do it. I am just trying to focus on myself, to bring out my best tennis every time I step onto the court”.
Did you feel fear in the third set?
“Today had nothing to do with fear, I have already gone through that stage. I was just trying to figure out how to adapt to the conditions and play better, I was struggling to find my rhythm, to find the solutions to these conditions. It's not about being afraid, but about finding a way out. I wasn't fighting at the beginning, actually, but then in the second set I was forced to find a different way. I'm glad I did. The main thing for me was to pray a little and keep a low profile, try to always put one more ball in, stay focused, and play with discipline”.
This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka: “Lo de hoy no tiene nada que ver con el miedo, esa etapa ya la pasé”