Sabalenka: "I feel stronger than ever on clay courts"

Streaming ATP Eastbourne live tennis

🎾 Jack Draper vs Ugo Humbert

1. Sign up with Bet365 here
2. Make your first deposit of at least €5
3. Go to the “Live” section and watch every match

Watch the match on Bet365

 PUBLICIDAD

Register at bet365, deposit €5 or more into your account and you will receive 100% of your eligible deposit in Bet Credits (up to €100). New customers only. Terms apply. Winnings do not include the value of Bet Credits. Maximum prizes, game restrictions, time limits and terms apply. Registration required.

Aryna Sabalenka has nothing else on her mind but lifting the Roland Garros champion's trophy on June 7. The Belarusian arrives in Paris playing her best tennis on clay. She clinched her third title in Madrid and reached the finals in Stuttgart and Rome. Additionally, she comes to France for the first time as the number one seed and the favorite, a position not held by Iga Swiatek for the first time in many years.

However, she prefers not to add expectations to these two weeks, although she confessed that she feels more comfortable than ever on the clay and ensures that her goal in every tournament is to go for the title. She discussed her excellent level on the clay court, the pressure of being number one, and her motivation for this edition in a press conference before her debut tomorrow against Kamilla Rakhimova.

Happy to return to Roland Garros

"I am thrilled to be back. This tournament is beautiful, and I am eager to play my first match here. I feel that I have improved my clay-court game a lot over the years. Physically, mentally, and in terms of tennis, I feel stronger than ever on clay."

First time in Paris as the number one seed

"The physical preparation is the same; there is no difference. Your ranking does not matter when a Grand Slam arrives. We have seen in the past that there have been surprises and disappointments in these tournaments. The ranking does not matter as much anymore. I just try to focus on my game, and nowadays, I know that I can perform well on clay, so I feel very strong and super excited arriving here, and I hope this is the year that I truly feel proud of myself on clay."

More motivated than last year when she suffered indigestion in the quarterfinals

"Since then, we made a couple of adjustments in my diet, and I made sure it will never happen again. Of course, I am highly motivated because last year I felt really prepared to be in the latter stages of the tournament, but yes, my body did not feel the same. So this year, I am more motivated than last year."

She likes feeling threatened in the ranking

"Honestly, I like it a lot because for me personally, knowing that someone is chasing me, it's like I have a target on my back at that moment, and I love it. I take it as a challenge. Every time I step out, I feel like, alright, let's go. Let's see who is ready for the pressure moments. I take it that way, and it really helps me to stay in the moment and to fight, whatever happens, on the court."

The importance of having a good team to prevent possible doping incidents

"Those things always change, and I am very happy to have such a good team around me that I can rely on, and I know that whatever my team suggests, I know that they have checked a thousand times with the system if it is allowed or not. So I am very happy to have my team. I never comment on doping cases because you never know. Some things can happen by accident, some things where, probably, I don't know, whatever could be there. I don't like to comment on it."

Winning the title, the aim in every tournament

"I think, at this point in my career, it is about winning titles, the big trophies, and I think you have to set really huge goals. Yes, maybe sometimes really crazy goals. Yes, I prefer winning over reaching the final because losing in the final sucks, I hate it, so that is not my goal."

The challenge of performing well on clay

"On clay, power is not enough. Sometimes you have to build the point three or four times in the same rally, so you have to be prepared physically, mentally. You have to enhance your game as much as possible and have variety to compete on clay. Of course, physically and mentally, clay makes me work very hard to excel on this surface," confesses Sabalenka, who only has winning the Roland Garros title on her mind.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka: "Me siento más fuerte que nunca en tierra batida"