ROLAND GARROS

June 5, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/I. Swiatek

7-6, 4-6, 6-0

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, congratulations. Into your first Roland Garros final and defeating a very tough opponent and the defending champion. Tell us how you were able to get the win today.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I'm super happy with the win today and beating Iga at the Roland Garros. It's just something unbelievable and something I'm super proud of, and yeah, just happy to get through this difficult match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I just wondered how much it would mean to you if you are able to win a first non-hard court slam and what that would kind of say about your game and how it's developed?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, it's going to mean everything to me and my team, because I have to say that almost like the whole life I've been told where it is not my thing and then I didn't have any confidence.

And in the past I don't know how many years, we've been able to develop my game so much, so I feel really comfortable on this surface and actually enjoy playing on clay. If I'll be able to get this trophy, it's just going to mean the world for us.

Yeah, I'm ready to go in that final and to fight, fight for every point and give everything I have to give to get the win.

Q. We've obviously seen you've developed a lot of touch to your game and drop shot. Was that done partly with clay in mind and developing a game that could thrive on this surface?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I have to say that for the clay I got better, much better physically. I think it's really important on clay to be physically strong and ready to work for each point.

And, also, I work on the spin for the clay. I wouldn't say that drop shots and slice it's like it's perfect for clay. I think it's better for the grass court. But also, it seems like it's working on clay court.

But I think mostly for the clay I improved physically, and also, I have more variety on the shots. Meaning, like, I can go flat, I can with the spin, I can go back and play in defense. That's what works the best on the clay court for me.

Q. Just asking a little bit about the match and in particular that third set. I think you won 19 of the last 21 points. Obviously incredible tennis from you. Were you at all surprised that there wasn't more resistance from Iga in that third set?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, yeah, the way the third set went, it's actually, like, shocking for me, to be honest. I really think that, first of all, I'm super happy that I found the rhythm on my serve, and it was much easier after I figured, okay, I'm in control of my serve, and also I put so much pressure on her serve.

I think that was the key, like the second game was the key game, key moment. I think after that game, I kind of, like, stepped in even more, and she was under so much pressure.

I think after those first couple of games, I wasn't, like, really surprising, because I felt like I was doing everything right and I was putting so much pressure on her. So I'm happy that it worked and I won that set.

Q. How much did it feel like a final because it's Iga, because of your rivalry, because it's here? And how do you regroup after a big match like this to play, like, the true final?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, as you said, it was a big match, and it felt like a final, but I know that the job is not done yet, and I have to go out there on Saturday, and I have to fight and I have to bring my best tennis, and I have to work for that title, especially if it's going to be Coco.

Yeah, I'm ready. I'm ready to go out, and I'm ready to fight. And I'm ready to do everything it's going to take to get the win.

Q. Between points and between games, you stretch quite a bit your neck, your shoulders. I wonder whether it is to calm yourself down, and if there is a conversation in your head going on at that time?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I just like to crack my bones, you know (laughing). I feel like more loose and ready to go after that, so it wasn't to calm down. I don't know. I always do that. I don't know if it's good or not, but that's just the way my body works.

Q. How would you find Iga's tennis? Because last time you played 10, 11 months ago, so a lot happened. How was it today when you looked at the other side of the court?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I have to say that both of us improved a lot, and I think today was really high-level match. I think she played really well, and both of us were struggling a little bit on the serve in the first half of the match.

Yeah, I think she's playing great tennis. Maybe she lost a little bit of a confidence, so that's why sometimes you see her missing balls that she shouldn't be missing.

But overall, I think today was really high-level match, and I think today she played really great tennis.

Q. Like you said, a high-level-match semifinal here in Roland Garros. Were you surprised to see empty seats today in the semifinal match?

ARYNA SABALENKA: There was empty seats?

Q. Unfortunately, yes. How do you feel about that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I wasn't really focusing on that, but for me the atmosphere, I mean, I felt incredible. It was super loud. People were cheering both of us.

I don't know. I didn't, like, really see empty seats. I think maybe after, like, second set or something, some people left, and I can totally understand. I don't know how they able to sit for so long.

But, I mean, I hope that for the finals it's going to be full, full (smiling).

Q. You are hitting the ball really hard overall, but this was something else even by your standard. I was wondering how hard was to maintain the control of the ball, and was it a tactic set before the match to hit even harder than you usually do?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I wasn't really trying to overhit. I feel like I just -- the rhythm was really perfect, and I was just like swinging the ball, and I didn't really think to, like, overhit and hit harder than I usually do.

But, yeah, I think -- I don't know. I wasn't thinking about all of that during the match. I just knew what I have to do, and I was just, like, going for the targets. I felt like I have to be brave if I want to win, and I have to put extra pressure on her. So I was just, like, following the tactic.

Q. Just a follow-up question regarding your return. Iga said that you seem to read her serve.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I got it.

Q. I was wondering if you cannot reveal any specific tactic, but do you think that you really did read her serve?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I mean, we played a lot of matches, and I kind of, like, knew what she would try to do against me, but I was focusing on myself, on my rhythm, and I was just doing the split step, and I was just trying to react.

Yeah, at the end, especially third set, I kind of, like, saw every time where she was going. Yeah, I mean, I have to say that, yeah, in the third set I saw where she was going.

Q. Something that happened in the first set, there was a let call. You thought it was an ace and you celebrated, and was that a let call or what happened there?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I mean, I don't know. I don't know if I'm right or wrong. I just felt like the call was pretty late, and I was, like, surprised, like, Oh, wow, okay. I felt like, yeah, the point is finished and basically that's everything what happened.

I felt like the call was a bit later. But honestly, I don't know the rules, you know, if it was, like, on time, if it was too late.

Q. But the serve hit the net was the issue? Just a let?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, it was just let, yeah. The serve was in, unfortunately. The net was on my way (smiling).

Q. I wanted to ask you, I see you and Novak on social media having such a great competition with one another. So what do you think? Who is winning? And do you think maybe he is going to have extra motive against Sinner so he can do it again?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, you know, I'm excited to see what he's going to come up next (laughing). But, I don't know, we have to do the... how you call it...like ask on the social media, you know, Who is doing better, Aryna or Novak? We'll see.

Probably he is going to repost it, and there is a lot of Serbians, so probably I'm going to lose it. Let's make it international quiz, you know, like no Serbians allowed to pick him (laughing).