Sabalenka is not afraid of finishing the season without a Grand Slam

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As the reigning champion of the US Open, the theory pushes us to believe that Aryna Sabalenka is the top rival to beat in this upcoming edition starting on Sunday. However, what has unfolded in the last major, and especially in the last tournament of the tour, has caused more than one to lean mainly towards Iga Swiatek. And what does the Belarusian think? This afternoon, she went through the Media Day like most of her peers, not holding back any of her impressions. This is the speech of the current world No. 1, the woman who needs to reach for the sky in New York if she doesn't want to end the year empty-handed in Grand Slam territory.

Back in Flushing Meadows

"I'm excited to be back here, I love this place, I have some incredible memories from last year, so it's only natural to feel this excitement to return. For me, it's a very important tournament, being the defending champion is amazing, it gives you great vibes and a lot of excitement to enter the tournament. It's the last Grand Slam of the year, this season I learned many tough lessons in these tournaments, so I hope to give my best in New York. Knowing how much I love playing here and all the support I always receive, I hope to show my best version."

Seeking her first Grand Slam of the year

"Obviously, I would love to end the season with a Grand Slam title and being the world number one. Even if I ultimately don't achieve this goal, I will still think that this season has been really good for me, especially because of all the lessons I learned during these months; they will help me make the next season much stronger. I worked harder in the preseason to make sure that 2026 will be a year of even greater success, a year of true success."

Her work with Gavin MacMillan a few years ago

"I am very grateful for the help he gave me in difficult times; he really helped me a lot with my serve, I appreciate him greatly. Here, every person is different, I was desperate to face those changes, I was ready to change whatever was necessary, to change my serve and improve once and for all, to get back to normal with my serve. For me, those were two crucial weeks, during that time everything was already fixed, but maybe for someone else, it's different. I wish them both the best, I hope everything goes really well for them."

Adapting to the US Open

"Everything takes time, I remember the first times I came here, when I really played the qualifying rounds, I think I excelled. The first times I felt everything was too big, I felt that the goal was still very far, that there was a lot of work to do before I could achieve my dream. Those first times were very confusing; I was just trying to find my way. Then, in the last 5-6 years, everything is very different, I try to be comfortable and enjoy the tournament. There is something special about the US Open, I have to say it, I think it's the whole atmosphere and the madness that is experienced in the stadiums. It's all the support, the people who come to watch you play, the place is incredible. I'm always excited every time I come here."

Ten different champions in the last eleven editions

"My idea is to change that; I have hope. I didn't even know that statistic, so I'll try to ignore it. This is crazy; we know how unpredictable women's tennis is, so we'll have to work to change it. There's a lot of pressure; that's what it's like to play in such a big place, everything feels much bigger. Perhaps this has happened to previous defending champions who come and put a lot of pressure on themselves. I think I have enough experience to focus on myself and then replicate it in the result."

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka no teme acabar el curso sin un Grand Slam