AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 25, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/V. Mboko

6-1, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, back into the quarterfinals. Talk us through how you got through that match, especially getting that done in two sets.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, she's an amazing player. It was quite a fight. I'm super happy that I was able to close this match in straight sets. The second set was a bit tricky.

But yeah, I'm happy with the level I played. Happy to be through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Your beautiful jewelry. Did that bother you while you play ever? Do you have any amulet or talisman that you wear all the time? Your outfit, did you choose or...

ARYNA SABALENKA: I love fashion questions (smiling).

No, it's actually really comfortable. As I always say, it's important to make sure you have the right length so it doesn't hit your teeth. I don't want to lose that.

I don't feel it. I don't feel it. It looks heavy, but it's not. I'm really comfortable and makes me feel beautiful on court, which is really important.

About my outfit, I've been telling for a while to Nike that I would like to see some of the colors from the past in newest collections. Then they came up with these beautiful colors. I was super happy to see that.

Q. What happened at 6-1, 4-1 when she came back? Going into this match, was it in your mindset you really needed to stamp your authority on this because there's been so much talk and discussion about how good Victoria Mboko is.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, she's incredible, that's for sure. But the tricky thing about playing the first match, don't get me wrong I like to play the first match, but the tricky part, at some point the sun goes right into your serve point. It's kind of like tricky. It's become not easy. You can break the serve.

That's what actually happened. Two breaks that she got, it was on the side when I was facing the sun. Yeah, I didn't deal that good with the serve. She done incredible job serving on that side. That's the tricky part.

I knew she's going to be fighting. I knew she's going to be trying. She kind of like has nothing to lose. She showed incredible tennis in those moments when she broke my serve.

But yeah, I was just focusing staying in the moment, playing point by point, trying to get this win.

Q. When a player gets to No. 1, all that attention could maybe make them want to be less open with others. I was talking with Paula and other players. They say you're the same since becoming No. 1. How do you do that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't know. It's just me being me. I'm not trying to do anything. There's so many great players, great people. I feel comfortable. I'm just being me, you know?

I knew that I will, like, never change. Doesn't matter my ranking position, whatever I reach in life, I'll always be myself.

I think also because I went through a lot of challenges. It wasn't like an easy - how you say - to achieve that stuff. I think that's why I was able to keep myself.

Q. You've talked before about equal prize money. How tricky do you find it juggling your priorities, winning matches, but also those elements, greater good of the sport?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I have my team to help me managing that. I'm not really, like, spending hours and hours on emails, going back and forth.

Whenever I have opportunity, I go and talk and give my opinion. I'm not really, like, spending the whole day trying to do all of these emails.

There's players who is represent us. They do that. They ask our opinions. I share my opinion. That's how I've been managing all of that. Also I have my team who can go and talk on my behalf. That's how I deal with that.

Q. This morning Ukrainian Oleksandra Oliynykova player posted on social media criticizing Gucci's partnership with you. I wanted to ask if you've seen that and what you thought of those comments.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I respect that everyone is allowed to have their opinion and use their platforms. I've been clear before that I'm pro peace. Nothing hasn't changed. That's all I can say about that.

Q. It looked like Jason had some fresh stitches on one side and a message on the other. Was that message for him or for you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: That was message to both (laughter). I like the pain on court. He likes the pain off court.

I mean, that's just us. That's our team. We always have fun. I need to make it clear to people that he likes it, so it's okay. That was fun stuff.

But he's healing really quick. He likes the pain as they write it down there. So all good.

Q. What happened?

ARYNA SABALENKA: We were having fun with the stick in the gym that a little bit flexible. I was trying to put it away from him. He put his feet on the bottom part of the stick. I just let it go. It was a perfect target.

I'm glad it wasn't his eye. If it would be his eye, we would be in trouble. We definitely not messing around that stick anymore.

Q. You're also one of the first No. 1s to really embrace the use of TikTok. Fellow players, are they surprised when you come up to them to film TikTok?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think it's came up naturally. We were in the locker room laughing with Paula. Amanda showed up. We're really good with each other. I asked Amanda, Do you want to join us for TikTok? It's going to be fun.

She was like, Yeah, sure, let's do that.

A few hours later we did that funny video.

Q. Do you feel like it surprises the players that you're so open with them?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't think so. I think most of the players know that I'm quite open person and I can have fun, can talk, whatever. Honestly, whatever they up to. I think it's not surprising for anyone.

Q. When will we see you playing mixed doubles with Novak?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Maybe at the US Open this year (smiling). I mean, I'm still waiting. He just like barely asked me at the US Open last year. I'm still waiting for that long message from him, how he would like to play with me, that I'm his dream partner. So I'm still waiting for the message. Never got it. I don't know. Maybe we're not playing (laughter).