BRISBANE INTERNATIONAL

January 10, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/K. Muchova

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations. Through to the final here. Can you just talk us through the match a little bit? A little tougher closing out today.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, there was a lot of close misses at the end of the second set, but super happy to close this match in straight sets.

She's a great opponent. I knew that if I would give her that opportunity in that last game, she would take it, and then it would be a bit trickier for me to play. I'm super happy that I, yeah, got the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. It was a really impressive performance. She's a competitor that you have had trouble with the last couple of times you have played against her. Is that why you were having to hit so cleanly? There was a couple of times I noticed she hit a winner, and you gave her a bit of a clap back, because...

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, she's incredible. There were some points when she overplayed and played incredibly, so I had to just, yeah, applause for that.

Yeah, I struggled against her a couple of times. I'm happy that today I was focused from the beginning and I was able to show such a great tennis and put her under so much pressure and got the win in straight sets. That's just super great.

Q. Does that play on your mind at all when you know you have lost the last couple of matches against her?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I never stay in the past. I always try to be in the present. Of course I know the stats, but I'm just trying to do my best every time I play whoever, doesn't matter the score head-to-head, and basically that's my mentality.

Q. Do you feel your level is getting better as the week goes on? How does that sort of set you up for Melbourne?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I definitely feel that compared to the first, I mean, okay, first match, but compared to first match here, I'm playing better and better. That's really important tournament heading to Melbourne, to build that level, and to play some great matches against great opponents.

So I'm super happy with the performance so far and cannot wait to play my final match here.

Q. There has been a lot of talk about the schedule, and you had your say on that, as well. How much of a break do you give yourself at the end of each year? Because you seem to just come into Australia and be on from the minute you're here. You've got an incredible record here and especially early in the year. So what do you do that gives yourself such a good preparation?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I usually just take couple of weeks of vacation, and that's it. Then I'm back to practicing.

Q. So really just taking all the time away from tennis. Do you pick up a racquet? Do you just stop completely?

ARYNA SABALENKA: No, no, no, not at all, not even padel or whatever. No sport.

Then I come back with, like, plus six kilos. I don't care, I know mind. I'm know I'm going to do a lot of fitness so I'm going to lose that. But no sport.

Okay, I was going to the gym, I'm not gonna lie, but I was just walking on the treadmill, I was enjoying my time in the gym, because it was so easy, and no tennis for two weeks.

Q. You just have to give yourself that mental break? Do you think that's part of your success coming into Australia and coming into a new season every year?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think that's important. Even like throughout the year after a great run at the tournament, it's important to take three, four days just completely off from tennis, just so you can recharge your batteries and start everything over again.