WTA FINALS

October 28, 2023

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, welcome to Cancun. Talk us through how excited you are to be back at the WTA Finals this year.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I'm super happy to be back at the WTA Finals. It's really prestigious tournament. I'm really happy that I was able to play that well during the year and, yeah, now I have this opportunity to play in this tournament. I'm super excited about that.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. After all these days in Cancun, are you totally adapted to the windy conditions?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I'm trying my best to adapt to these conditions. Hopefully tomorrow I'll play my best tennis.

But yeah, I mean, we all in the same conditions. It's not easy one. It's not the perfect conditions for the WTA Finals. But it is how it is. I'll do my best to show my best tennis here.

Q. What do you think about your group in this tournament?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, it's a tough group. Whoever would be in my group, it would not be easy players to play against. It's top eight players, the best players of the year.

Yeah, I played a lot of matches against all of them. It's always great battles. So I'm really interesting, actually really excited, to play. Yeah, just can't wait to start playing.

Q. Your season, obviously a career-best season, No. 1, Grand Slam, also some heartbreaking losses along the way. Almost at the end of the season, can you reflect on this year? What does this season mean to you? What do you think about when you think about the 2023 season for you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I'm thinking this is really crazy. I wish I would know earlier that I actually can play that good (laughter).

Yeah, it's just super great season, I think the best season in my life so far. Hopefully, like, this is just the beginning: with every year I'll play better and better and the results will be better and better.

I use this year as a motivation for me to keep working hard, to keep pushing, and see where is my limit are.

Q. You've had some weeks to adjust to being No. 1. How is your life different being the No. 1 player?

ARYNA SABALENKA: It's not different, to be honest.

Q. Really?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, you're No. 1, you're No. 2. If you're in the top 10, it's just the same. You're a top-10 player. I think ranking, it's just ranking, you know? It's not like I go on court right now and everyone will be, Okay, I'm not playing, you're No. 1, good luck in the next round.

It's not changing anything. I still need to work hard. I still need to bring my best tennis on court. I think I even need to work more because right now I feel like I'm a target for everyone.

It's not changing anything. I'm still working hard, trying to improve.

Q. If you're a target and people are coming after you, then something has changed.

ARYNA SABALENKA: In some way, yes. But it's not like I didn't work hard before, you know? Just a little change.

Q. All week international press talked about the stadium. The stadium is ready now. What do you think about the stadium, the court? How do you feel?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I'm not happy that we couldn't practice on the match court, meaning like on the stadium. I think this is not the level for the WTA Finals. We literally have one hour today, like 45 minutes, to try the stadium. This is something what I'm not happy with. I'm pretty sure the rest of the players also not happy.

At the same time, yes, I know we're all in the same conditions. But this is not conditions for the WTA Finals. So, yeah, it's not great. I mean, usually we need like three to four days to kind of like adjust to conditions.

But, yeah, we'll see. I guess it is how it is. But I hope that next year WTA will do better job.

Q. In terms of getting ready for this tournament, you've now had the experience of it multiple times, are there things that you have learned with each appearance at the Finals that will help you with this one, which is pretty pressure-packed, being the top seed, what's at stake this year? What did you learn in the last few times you've played the event?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, that you have to -- if you win the first match, you have to stop counting, thinking what should I do to, I don't know, get out of the group. Like, you just have to focus on yourself and your game, just stop thinking. That's the main thing, just focus on your game.

You don't have to overdo things here in the Finals. It's just another tournament, yet different format. You just have to focus on yourself and try to do your best.

Q. A goofy question. Have you ever dressed up for Halloween? If so, what was it? If you could dress up this year, what would you dress up as?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I think I never dressed up for the Halloween. I just didn't have a chance. We're always somewhere on the tournament.

If I would dress, I would be - I don't know... Barbie (laughter). The most popular for this year. Barbie or a ghost. I don't know. Need to think about that. Tiger (laughter). Now the ideas coming.

THE MODERATOR: Thank you.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Thank you.