AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 19, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/M. Andreeva

6-1, 6-2

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, another very neat and tidy result for you. What were you pleased about in terms of your game today?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I'm super happy to get this win. Mirra is so young, so mature, such a great player. Yeah, she can play really great tennis. I'm super happy to get this win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Pam Shriver came out overnight and was critical of the scheduling.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Who?

Q. Pam Shriver. She said the Australian Open seems to be putting all the women's matches early, getting them out of the way, and giving the men's matches prime time. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on that, or do you prefer playing in the day?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I like to play both, because if you finish early, then you have time for dinner, to relax. You're not that late. Your sleep is better.

Also, of course, I like to play 7:00 p.m. matches. Not the second after 7:00, after guys. I don't want that, because yeah, it's the full stadium. It's a great atmosphere. I like both.

I don't know. The first day I played 7:00 p.m. Like I think yesterday was 7:00 p.m. girls matches. I'm not sure about that. I mean, so far I'm happy with the scheduling. I cannot relate to this.

Q. You had to fight hard in your two previous matches. How much did kind of working through those tight moments help you today bring out your best tennis?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, definitely when you struggle with your game and you had to overcome a lot of things in the match and you still win the match, it give you so much confident going into the next one.

You know that no matter what going to happen in the match, you're going to be there, you're going to be fighting. Like, your fight spirit is there, you know?

Yeah, definitely those matches gave me so much belief that no matter what I'm going to be there, I'm going to be fighting.

Q. I just wondered how bothered are you by a head-to-head record against other players before a match? Like obviously today you had a good record against Mirra. You could play Donna in the next round, who has a good record against you. Do you look at that, and does that affect how you prepare for matches?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Not at all. For me every match is new opportunity. It's a new game. You know, doesn't matter what happened in the past. For me it's about staying in the moment and focusing on myself and on bringing my best game, because I know that if I'll be able to bring my best game, I know that I can get the win. So I'm trying to focus on myself.

Q. Do you think there was a point in your career where maybe that would be a factor and you might be intimated by a bad record or something like that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, of course, I think when you are young you are focusing too much on outside things. Then with experience, you realize that it actually doesn't matter. Whatever happened outside of the tennis court, it's not a big deal. You just have to focus on yourself in the moment and play just point by point.

Q. Yesterday Iga spent 70 minutes on court. Today you beat her. You spent 62. Is this a difference between a No. 1 and No. 2, or are these things you're thinking about?

ARYNA SABALENKA: My God, these questions. I have to say, it's definitely not something we're focusing on, you know. That's my answer (laughing).

Q. You just used the word "struggling." You're on top of the world now, but if you go back a couple of years and you were having all the serving issues, the double faults, et cetera, how did you get yourself out of that situation on the mental side, because that would be the biggest issue when that sort of thing is happening, to get you to where you are now? Was it a fight with yourself? How can you explain that? Because it's such a transformation. It's been quite remarkable.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Honestly, when I look back, I think someone was just, like, forcing me to try something else to improve my serve, because my serve right now is much better. Even before that situation happened with my serve, I was serving pretty well, but right now, looking back, it wasn't enough for winning a Grand Slam.

At the end, I'm super happy that that happened to me, and I was able to reach out to Gavin... MacMillan? I still don't know his surname (laughter). I'm sorry, Gavin. He's going to forgive me. Yeah, we work on the biomechanic, and we improve my serve so much.

To answer the question how I was able to get out from that situation, I don't know. Honestly, we tried so many things. You know, at some point you just have to step back, and you have to realize a lot of things in life. You come to the point when you understand that tennis is just tennis, you know? There is bigger things in life.

You just have to try your best, I don't know, go through it. You just have to go out there without any fear of losing the match or facing the same struggle one more time.

I don't know. Honestly, I don't know. I just have so much love to this sport, and I was just, like, keep trying, keep trying. Finally I found a way. I improved my serve, and I was able to achieve so many things.

Q. Did you lose belief?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, there was a point when I was, like, okay, I'm done here. I think it's time to go and do something else in life.

You know, I think this is the moment when you have to push yourself to try one more time, because this is the moment where you can turn around things.

Q. So you obviously believe on the court that you have Polaroid goals for this year. Are there any other non-tennis goals that you have set for yourself in 2025?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I was wrong. It was Fuji film, first of all (laughter).

No, it just a nice moment. I really like to see all of those pictures. I started from the preseason, and it's so cute to see these little moments.

Other than that, I don't know, I just want to improve myself every day, get better as a player, as a person, and capture great moments. Hopefully I'm going to have enough. So far that's it.

Q. We've seen a lot of players in the past who get to be No. 1 or win a Grand Slam, and they have a hard time with the attention and the pressure that comes with that. It seems like you're having more fun than ever as No. 1 and as a Grand Slam champion. Is that accurate? Is this all just fun for you, or are there parts of the pressure that you can notice, or is it really just something you are as happy as you seem?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I mean, of course, there's the pressure. It doesn't matter if you are No. 1, No. 2, or No. 10. There is always the pressure.

I think it's all about focusing on yourself, having fun outside of the court, take it easy outside of the court, because there is enough pressure on the court. I think it's all about the balance. You have to do stuff which brings you joy in life. Also, you have to go out there, and you have to compete and fight. Once again, it's all about balancing these two things.

Q. Have you been following the TikTok ban that could happen in the U.S.?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I heard about that. I mean, but this is not something we can control, and I hope they're going to figure it out because I love TikTok (laughing).

Q. I'm just curious, last year in the quarterfinals of Roland Garros how were you actually feeling? How sick were you then? We didn't see you for months after that, so I don't know if you ever talked about that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that was very tough match. I was stomach poison, and it was the worst feeling ever I had in my stomach. I think it was just the combination of the stress and having the stomach issues, plus the stress. I never deal with that sort of pain.

I couldn't move, and still I was able to somehow bring the fight on court. That was the most difficult situation ever. Yeah, we did some adjustments in my food before the match, and I really hope it will never happen again.

Q. I think afterwards you were too sick to come to press. How long did it take you to kind of get over that and feel good again?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say three, four days I was still struggling. Then things start getting better.

Q. You are playing Donna or Anastasia in the next round. If you had to pick one of those two, which one would it be?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Doesn't matter. I don't care, you know.

Q. How well do you know them?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I know them pretty well. I played a lot of matches against both. Whoever going to win that match, I'm just going to go there and fight and do my best to get through that match.

Q. I noticed you're wearing a WHOOP. I think the rest of your team got one as well. I'm curious if you compare sleep times. You're a top tennis player. I'm curious if there's an amount that you aim to get and whether you achieve that goal most times?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I love wearing WHOOP, and I love to see data from the WHOOP. Mostly I'm following my sleep time, recovery, HRV, and my team go through my data sometimes to adjust a little bit of my workouts.

So I love it. It's really helpful for me.

Q. How much sleep do you average?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I'm trying to get to eight to nine hours, but not more than that, because if I sleep too much, then I'm too tired actually. So, yeah, I'm trying to manage between, let's say, seven to nine.