THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 8, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/L. Siegemund

4-6, 6-2, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, that was a tough but good win today. Could you talk a little bit about the match?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that was a real task. Honestly, I have no idea how I was able to hold myself and to be, like, emotionally so prepared and focused. I'm actually really proud of myself because it was really tough battle. Of course, I'm happy with the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You said afterwards in the interview that you didn't want Laura to see you visibly annoyed at all. Internally, how were you feeling throughout the match? Can you tell us about your thoughts throughout the roller coaster?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think I was really well-prepared for her game, for the way she's taking time and everything. I was really mentally prepared for that.

But of course, inside I was struggling because she was playing really smart game. At the beginning I was missing a lot. I felt like I was rushing. So I'm really glad that after the first set, I was able to kind of like reset a little bit and change my tactic a little bit and get the win.

I think after the second set, like after middle of the second set, I started feeling my game better, and I had better understanding what should I do to get the win.

But about her game, I wasn't really annoyed. What can I do? It was great play, smart play. Tough for my body to play against (smiling), but I managed. It was a great, I guess, fitness. Whoever is going to slice against me, I'm going to be like, Guys, I played against Laura, are you kidding me (laughing)?

Q. Just given the challenge, the unique challenge she poses, coming off a difficult French Open, how satisfying is that win? Where does that rate for most satisfying wins in your career?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, that was definitely tough one. I cannot rate it at the moment, to be honest, but it was very, very tough. You always out of the rhythm. You just have to honestly kind of, like, mentally win the match, be ready to fight for every point. There was, like, no easy points.

I mean, I don't know, I cannot compare right now. I have to watch both matches, but it felt like she was trying to do maybe not the same game style that Coco was doing against me in Roland Garros, because today was also windy. I think there was some similarity in the game. I'm really proud that I handled myself really well and I didn't repeat the same mistake I did at the French Open.

Q. Off the back of that French Open final, you said that you've learnt from it so much to be calm on the court. Do you think this match, if it was before that, you might have lost it? What are you telling yourself in your head differently than then?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Honestly, I think there's a big possibility that I would have lose this match if I didn't learn that lesson at the French Open. In some moments I was just keep reminding - which it's probably a little bit crazy, but I was keep reminding myself, Come on, it's the quarterfinal of Wimbledon, you cannot give up, you cannot let the emotions just take over you and lose another match.

I was just reminding myself that it's my dream, why would I give up so easily, so I have to keep fighting. Basically that's it. I was keep telling myself that, and I was willing to, yeah, win points, to push myself and to get those tough points.

Q. In terms of your game, are there any parts of your game that you felt today you improved during the match and that you want to improve even more for the next round?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I mean, definitely my game from all of her different slices, like touch game today was definitely improved, and I think she forced me to go to the net and play at the net. Not just you approach the net and you finish at the net, but I had to play extra shots on the net. Maybe I didn't win all of the points, but I think I practiced, and I think I got better at this.

So right now going to the net and play, like, I don't know how many shots I have to play there, I feel quite comfortable. So yeah, what I would love to improve? Still my game from the slices (smiling). I think I made a lot of unforced errors, unnecessary ones, today.

Q. When you had those two aces late after all of the kind of serving struggles, especially on the second serve, what were you telling yourself? How did you come up with those all of a sudden?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I wasn't really to go for an ace. I was just, like, trying to place the ball where I wanted. I think maybe that's why my arm was more loose and I had a better rhythm, so I could serve the way I served in those, I would say, key moments.

Q. Next you play Amanda. What are your thoughts --

ARYNA SABALENKA: They're still playing.

Q. It's not finished yet. It's tight in the second set. I meant to say next, if you play Amanda, how would you describe the situation from your past matches and what you would expect from this one?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I definitely think this surface suits her game really well. That's why she's playing so well so far. She's serving well. She's hitting quite clean and heavy shots. We just played recently at the French Open. I had to work really hard to get the win.

I mean, it going to be very aggressive tennis, I think. Less slices from her (laughter). But yeah, it's going to be completely different game from what I had to play against today.

She's a challenging player. We had a lot of tough battles. I lost tough battles against her. I won tough ones. If it's going to be her, I'm excited to face her.

Q. You've been improving so much your slice, dropshots, it seems like you could have made it from your point of view and not waiting that she forces you to do these things. The slices in the end were unbelievable.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I think I made, like, mentally quite big mistake that I was afraid of going for slices because I thought that I will give her an extra time and then she'll start doing her magic, and she'll start dropshotting, and I'll have to run back and forth a lot. At the beginning I was not like afraid, but I just didn't want to give her time.

Then when I realized actually I'm pretty good, I have to go for it if needed, because sometimes it's tough to pick up the ball with just forehand. Sometimes it force you to go for slice.

So yeah, the moment I remembered that actually I can do that, as well, it was an important moment. I think it's really help me.

Q. Obviously in your career you've made Grand Slam semifinals, finals, won Grand Slams. In the heat of the moment when things are going against you, are you able to compose yourself and remember that I know how to do it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think 'I know how to do it' doesn't work because every time it's completely different story. Like yeah, you know that you capable of it, but it doesn't mean that just because you did it once, like, magically you going to do it another time.

I think for me better to remember myself that I have to work. I have to be focused, and I have to play with discipline, and I have to go for my shots, and I have to earn the win. Then I see that, okay, it's happening, I know the game.

But I think in specific moment I'm not reminding myself that I've done it, so I know how to do it. Yeah, of course, I'm reminding myself that I'm strong enough to handle any pressure. I'm just trying to focus on the game, what I have to do in exact moment.