ROLAND GARROS

May 30, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/O. Danilovic

6-2, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, congratulations. Another great result today. Talk us through your thoughts on the match and also the conditions today.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, the conditions were completely different. And of course I'm super happy with the win. She's a tough opponent. She's a fighter, and I'm really happy I got the win today.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You have said that conditions were completely different. Can you just expand on that, how that affects the actual play?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, it's much warmer today, and the ball flies much faster. The bounces are much higher.

Yeah, you have to adjust your racquet, which actually I didn't, and it felt much better (smiling). And you have to adjust your game, and physically of course it's a bit tougher. So I'm really glad that I adjusted pretty well and I got the win.

Q. You said you didn't adjust your racquet...

ARYNA SABALENKA: No, I didn't. But of course we had some extra racquets with half kilos up and down, so whenever I felt like, if I would feel like changing, I would just ask my team for the racquet.

Q. Who's the favorite here in Roland Garros to get the title? Who has the biggest weight on her shoulders? Is it you, top player, No. 1, or Iga, four-time champion?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I don't know. It's tough to predict in woman's tennis, you know. Let's just leave it on Iga since she won it, what, three times in a row, really, right?

Let's just... I will just leave it for her.

Q. (Off mic.)

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, why not, you know, (smiling)?

Q. You told us down there on the pitch that Olga played like top-10 player. Can you tell us something more about that opinion? Can we expect that, like, in general, that she can make it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, game-wise she definitely has everything to be in top 20, top 10. It's all about if mentally she'll be ready to handle all of the pressure and she'll be ready to stay there and fight.

But game-wise, I mean, doesn't matter what the score was, but it was a tough match. It was a fight. Yeah, I really think that she has everything to be in top 15, top 10, you know.

Q. After your first press conference, you mentioned that coaches from where you're from can be quite harsh sometimes. Have you had experience with that yourself, like with tough coaches that maybe pushed you too hard, or was that something you avoided?

ARYNA SABALENKA: It's not about push me too hard. I always been quite motivated and they didn't have to push me. But I have heard a lot saying I'm not smart enough, that I'm stupid, and I'll never make it, and I don't have anything to make it to the top.

I guess I want to send a quick message to them to quit their job, because honestly, I think they know nothing and they better quit just to save other players (smiling).

Q. How did you react to hearing that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I was just laughing and saying, We'll see.

Q. Kind of a fun thing has happened in the past little while. Your post-match interviews, your awards ceremonies, kind of a kick, giggling, laughing, sticking tongue out at Indian Wells, telling your team that you hate them...

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I do hate them. I'm just telling the truth (smiling).

Q. But can you just talk about the post-match interviews, awards ceremonies, your best moments and your not-so-best moments and how do you make it so much fun?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't know. I mean, I'm just being me, you know. I'm not trying to be something. I think that humor in life is the best thing. So I always try to take fun.

I mean, that's just the way I am, the way my team is. And I don't know. We just, I don't know, it's all natural, you know. We just go out there and when I have to give a speech, I never prepare the speech, which you can see (laughter). So I'm, I don't know, I just follow the flow, I guess.

Q. Can you give us a favorite moment or two possibly when you think back?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't know. What is my favorite? I don't know. Whenever you get to the point of, like, giving a speech, it's always fun. All of them, my favorite, doesn't matter if I won or if I lost. I always find a way to have fun there and to enjoy the moment. Even if I lost the match, the final, I always enjoy it.

Q. Since you are in great relations with Novak, and we know how good you two are when you meet each other, what do you think about him, his longevity and everything? How long do you think he can play and can he win Roland Garros?

ARYNA SABALENKA: You are trying to put as much pressure as you can on Novak. Leave him alone. Look at him. He's fit, strong. Mentally, physically, I think he's ready to play, I don't know, another two, three years. I don't know.

He's doing really well, you know. Of course up-and-downs, everyone have it. You know, I believe the older you get, the tougher it gets to, like, stay consistent on the level.

But we see whenever he's ready, whenever he's, like, healthy and fit, he's there, and he's playing the great tennis.

So just leave him alone. Let him just be. Imagine if he gonna retire tomorrow, then everyone going to be sad, no? Don't you think so? Then there is another like 10, 15 years to Jannik and Alcaraz to become one of the greatest.

But just, you know, let him be. You know, it was so sad to see the ceremony, big four were on the court and you understand that three of them retired. Everyone missing their games.

So let's just let Novak to be there to show and fight and show his greatness and to inspire that generation.