MUTUA MADRID OPEN

April 28, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

H. BAPTISTE/A. Sabalenka

2-6, 6-2, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Tough match. What did you think made the difference out there?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, it was a tough match. She played great. I played great. I think I had some opportunities in the third set. I felt like I was maybe a little bit rushing the point over there. But it's okay, sometimes I guess you have to learn, take the bad stuff from this week and move on.

THE MODERATOR: Questions?

Q. Thank you for bringing the dog.

ARYNA SABALENKA: He's my mental support (laughing).

Q. What was going through your mind as you kept having those match points and she kept finding a way to fight her way through it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think she played great points. I mean, I had some opportunities, didn't use them. She played really brave tennis I feel like on those match points.

Q. I know you played her recently in Miami, obviously different surface. Curious, based off her performance today, what do you think maybe she did differently that made her game a little bit stronger today versus Miami?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I feel like in Miami I didn't give her much opportunities. She couldn't break my serve, I believe. Here, the first game, second set, I just double faulted twice out of nowhere. It felt like that gave her belief. After that, she just started playing more aggressively. She, as I said, she was playing brave tennis. What can I say? Well done.

Q. Now you don't have to answer questions about the streak anymore.

ARYNA SABALENKA: No (laughing).

Q. In some ways was there any pressure of that, since you hadn't lost in so long, or just confidence building?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Not really. I was just playing tennis, I was just trying to find a way in this match, but it didn't work today. Yeah, as I said, like never crossed my mind.