AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 23, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/A. Potapova

7-6, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, it was about as close as a match as a two-set match can be. What do you think got you over the line?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that was a tough match. Played really incredible tennis. I don't know. I was just trying to stay there. I was trying to fight. I'm super happy with my mentality today on the match. I think the only thing I got today on the court, the only thing that really helped me to get the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. I thought you might come to press in the Gucci outfit from the video.

ARYNA SABALENKA: We were thinking. I mean, I think it's already enough of that beautiful dress. I wanted to bring something new (smiling).

Q. About the collaboration, how it came together, how excited you are for it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, Gucci is bold and expressive. I think it's the best fit (putting on Gucci sunglasses).

Q. Are you looking for on-court collaborations with Gucci?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I'm not closing the door for that. We'll see. We need to unfortunately talk to Nike, as well. But I would love to see that. It's a perfect time to bring fashion on court. Gucci is the best brand, the best fashion brand with the best designer right now.

Yeah, I think we can do really cool stuff for on court.

Q. A tennis question.

ARYNA SABALENKA: No, c'mon (smiling).

Q. You talked a lot in the past about adding more spin to your forehand, making it a more heavy shot.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah.

Q. How much of that was a technical change and how much of that was an attitude change?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, yeah, it was a big change. Before I used to only hit like a flat balls from both sides. It's a big technical change. But lucky me, I didn't struggle for so long with this change because probably I was young and I was desperate for some changes. It was pretty easy change.

But it was massive change in my game, which gave me a lot of benefits in the future. So yeah, it's like technical plus, like, mentally you have to be ready, like you have to be open for a new thing to be able to change it.

Q. You see a lot of players on the WTA Tour hitting with more spins these days, Iga, Coco. Do you think maybe in the past there was a belief that in order to play attacking tennis you had to hit flat, maybe that's changed a bit?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think it's changing. I think we're taking a lot from men's. Heavy shot with the spin, it's much more aggressive than just a flat ball. It's not that easy to - how you say - to block it. I don't know how to say it, to accept the ball. I don't know, how you say it to hit it back? It's heavier. It's completely, like, I don't know. Oh, my God, English please come back (smiling).

It's not that easy to...

Q. Hit it back with pace?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, whatever. Not easy to hit it back. Return. Oh, my God, I'm off. I'm so into Gucci right now so that my English is not working (smiling). I'm sorry, guys. I'm really off today. But I will try my best to explain myself.

Q. As the world No. 1, what sort of expectations have you found about being like an ambassador for the sport, that kind of thing? Do you think those expectations are different for a women's world No. 1 compared to a men's world No. 1?

ARYNA SABALENKA: C'mon, guys, like, I'm just telling you my English is not working and you're asking me these tough questions (smiling).

What is the question again?

Q. What sort of expectations have you found as the world No. 1?

ARYNA SABALENKA: From people or myself?

Q. Both. Whether you should be an ambassador, a figurehead for the sport.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I think you have a huge influence on the next generation. That's the only expectation I have on myself. That's the only focus I have, is to be good example, to show that you can balance things, that you have to have fun and also be really focused on your career, just so the young kids are not making the same mistake that I made, being too much on tennis and it's actually created a lot of pressure and it's kind of like destroying yourself from inside.

I'm just trying to be an example for the next generation to be fun, to be willing to do things that you like that brings you joy, but also the same time being focused on tennis.

That's the only expectation I have on myself. Like, I don't know what people expect from me. I think it's the same. Doesn't matter men or women. You kind of, like, represent sport. People see you. I feel like it's important to be just yourself, true to yourself, and to be a good example.

Q. You have this incredible tiebreak record in slams now. Can you speak a little bit about how you deal with tiebreaks mentally, how you focus for that period.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't know. I'm just taking one ball at a time. I know that every ball is important in the tiebreak. You cannot lose your focus for a second because it's gone, like, really quickly. So you have to be there 100%.

That's my approach. I just take it one point at a time.

Q. I wanted to ask you about your next opponent, Victoria. You guys haven't played. Do you know her? Have you communicated with her? Have you hit with her? Also how you feel about the young players now. When you were 19 and on the tour...

ARYNA SABALENKA: That was a decade ago (laughter).

Q. The success coming at a later stage, is it a good thing?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, it depends. I mean, first of all, I never actually talked to her, never had chance to hit, to practice with her. I only seen her outside. I was watching some matches. Yeah, she's a great player. She's a fighter. She's playing really good, aggressive tennis.

I feel like maybe for me, like, it would be really tough to handle the success at young age. But I feel like now seeing these girls, so like young age achieving so much, playing such a great tennis, being really mature, it's incredible. I feel like they mature much faster than, for example, on my example, than I did.

It's incredible to see how actually, like, smart they are and the approach is really, really good. They have a great team around them. It's cool to see.

Q. Novak, Wawrinka and Cilic, they're staying relevant all the time. Right now they're in the third round. Is it about physics? Preparation? Something else? Can you imagine yourself to be that relevant in 37 or 38 or 40?

ARYNA SABALENKA: So you don't want me to go for family (smiling)?

Well, these guys are legends, G.O.A.T.s, especially Novak. He's been developing his game his whole career. Right now he's really relevant with young boys. He's playing incredible tennis.

I feel like it depends on your physicality, of course, mentality, your approach to tennis. He's very healthy, fit. He's really focused. Yeah, at this age he's playing incredible tennis.

I feel like there is no age anymore in sport. It depends how you approach everything and if you have a smart team around you. So I feel like, yeah, your career can be extended for I don't know how many years.

Talking about myself, I mean, I'm not sure. I cannot say anything because you never know. You don't know what's waiting for you tomorrow.

Ideally for me, I would love to, I don't know, maybe have kids at 32 or something. But knowing me, I know that I love to accept tough challenges, so I feel like even after having kid, I would love to challenge myself, like coming back and see if I still have it, just to challenge myself.

So probably we're going to see me being that grandma on tour trying. Hopefully I'll be pushing these young girls. So we'll see. Let's talk about that in 10 years. Yeah, that's a long time.

Q. You seem to have a habit of winning ugly when you haven't got your best tennis. How do you go about doing that? We saw you frustrated particularly in the first set. Is there something that you concentrate on? Could Aryna of five years ago have won that match?

ARYNA SABALENKA: No, definitely not. I mean, Aryna five years ago would probably be focusing too much on the way she feels and completely lose these games.

Nowadays with the experience, I learned a lot that it doesn't really matter how you feel, it's all about your mentality, your mental strength to be there, to just try your best, to put the ball ugly, with the terrible technique, with completely body being disconnected, but just try to put it back and fight.

Because you never know, you know. You have to stay there and you have to fight and you have to show your opponent that no matter how I feel, no matter what's going on, I'll still be there, I'll still be fighting, and I'll still be willing to find something that's going to help me to be willing to fight in the match.

Yeah, then in the moment I was just there and trying to connect my body and trying to just put the ball back on that side without any tactic. Obviously I had tactic going into the match. But when you see that things are not working, the only tactic you got is fight and try to put the ball back on that side. That was my approach today.

Q. Having just had a match like that, what do you do this afternoon to put it behind you and prepare for the next match?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, we did a little bit of cool down in the gym, a few things to connect my body. But also today I will completely disconnect from tennis, like forget it. Tomorrow I'll go and try to put my body back together.

That's the beautiful thing about Grand Slam, that you have one day to change everything completely. Also in the Grand Slam, in a long round, like, it's almost impossible to have a great day every time you playing there.

Today was not the best day, but I know that tomorrow I can change things, and next match I can show up with being completely different player. I'll do everything I can to connect my body back together. I know I'll be willing to go out there and to fight for every point.

Q. High temperatures are expected in coming days, maybe 40 degrees. How do you cope? Do you think the right protocols are in place to protect players?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, that's a tricky one. I know if the temperature reached, I don't know, like 35, 36, I think there's a heat rule on. I think on the stadiums they have to close the roof. But outside I think players can just take the heat rule.

I don't know, I wouldn't like play the match because I think it's too much on our bodies. But I'm glad that at least we have a heat rule. There is a lot of ice. It's all on players to take that heat rule. At least on the stadiums it's going to be covered, I believe.

But the weather being crazy. It's a lot of adjustment on the strings, your approach to the match. It depends on the weather because it's going like a roller coaster. So yeah, we'll see who adjusted better next days.

Q. Another one on Victoria. What sort of challenge is it for you when it's her debut Australian Open, nothing to lose up against you who has plenty on the line?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that's the challenge. They go out there and they have nothing to lose. But also, at the same time, I don't believe that mentality that they have nothing to lose because I've been in their shoes. You still go out there with hopes that you're going to win this one, you're going to be the young one to win the slam. They still have something to lose.

For me, I'll have the same approach. Doesn't matter what my opponents are feeling like, or what they experiencing, for me it's the same. I have to go out there, I have to bring my best tennis and fight for every point. That's my approach.

Once again, she's aggressive player. She's playing really great tennis. Really heavy shots. I'm also quite experienced, quite aggressive.

I know it's going to be a great battle. I'm super excited to face her for the first time.

Q. Besides shopping at Gucci, what will you be doing on your time off in Melbourne?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Just shopping in Gucci. That was my best relaxation, let's say (smiling). Also we're going for dinners with the team. Just chilling in the room watching tennis. Probably have to go outside to walk around little bit because, yeah, next couple days going to be impossible to do that. So I might just go outside and, yeah, enjoy the city. I love being in Melbourne. It's a beautiful city, a lot of beautiful parks.

Yeah, maybe shopping Gucci again. Just need to get a lot of stuff (smiling).

Q. Do you get to keep that dress?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Oh, yeah, of course. I have it in my room. You might see me walking around in that one (smiling).