THE CHAMPIONSHIPS

July 3, 2026

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/J. Ostapenko

6-4, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, another win at Wimbledon. How are you feeling?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I feel great and of course happy with the win today, happy with the level I played. Yeah, tough opponent. Happy to be through.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. In this kind of match, please tell me how would you describe the power of the mind.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I'd say in these kind of matches there is, like, few key moments of the match. I feel like it's all mental part of the game. I'm really glad that mentally I was super strong and super focused today.

I'm happy that I closed this match in straight sets.

Q. Of course the schedule puts a lot of pressure on the top players. You go deep into tournaments week after week. How do you find especially in the Grand Slams to get your mindset out of tennis on the days in between matches?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think this is something that I've been struggling at the beginning of my career to kind of, like, balance this on-and-off-the-court life and kind of like being able to forget about tennis in those off days.

When it's a match day, I'm super focused. I'm like really locked in. When it's an off day, of course we still hit, we're still here around.

I'm trying to stay loose, trying not to think about, like, big tournament, upcoming match. I'm trying to do things that bring me joy, do things that not make me think about tennis.

I think it's a big part of our career, to find solution how to manage the energy and to balance this life.

Q. You've got Naomi next. What do you think of her, and how do you see that match and what's going to be a difficult one for you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, we played several times this year. Always been a battle, always been a tricky match. She's very aggressive player, serving well.

I watched couple of her matches. In a good shape. But I'm ready to go out there and to bring the fight and to do anything it takes to get through this difficult match.

Q. Was there anything that really stood out in the three matches you played Naomi this year?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think every match was very tough one. In every match there was, like, few key moments of each set where I think I was able to trust my game and to step in and to put pressure on her.

I feel like, yeah, every time she play me, she's more focused. She's aware of, yeah, my power and aggression and everything. I feel like every time she's handling herself really good and handling the pressure good.

Yeah, as I said, I'm ready to go out there and to fight.

Q. Have you seen Naomi's outfits here?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Of course.

Q. What is your opinion of her Wimbledon look?

ARYNA SABALENKA: That's amazing. Like, every time she's willing to bring something kind of like new and different. It's cool to see.

I actually really love her on-court dress. I would say that my personal opinion it's one of her best outfits like in the last couple Grand Slams.

Yeah, I love it. It's cool.

Q. I also want to ask about Naomi, but not about next match, kind of a rivalry, relationship with you. You guys first time played in US Open. Ranking was 20-ish. Naomi said that win against you was kind of like a turning point of her career.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that's how it felt for me. There was like that key moment, you know (smiling).

Q. Can you talk a little bit about the first matchup, what you both are going through these past eight years.

ARYNA SABALENKA: It's been a while (smiling).

Yeah, that match was crazy. That match, I would say, was really tough to process and to go through because I believe I was up with the break in the third set. I felt like we both were kind of like upcoming, young, like next generation.

I had a feeling that whoever wins this match had really big opportunity to maybe not win a slam but be in the final, which for me back then was, wow. Amazing achievement.

Yeah, maybe that's why, because I was overthinking that. That's why I wasn't able to close that match. But yeah, the moment when she won that match, I had the feeling she is going to win a slam.

It was very tough to recover when you were up in the third set against someone who won the slam. I wanted it badly. But then later on, the next match we played, it was what, this year. Oh, my God, I don't know how many years we had little gap in between our matches.

Obviously different story. She went through different things. I went through different things. I feel like we both were completely different, not only players, but as a person, both changed a lot.

Yeah, it's been a great rivalry. Every time I'm enjoying playing her. Every time it's a battle. Every time it's high-level matches. Super excited to play her.

Q. I once asked you how of manage the team of the man, that one doesn't interfere with the other one. How is the preparation meeting for your next match? Is it breakfast?

ARYNA SABALENKA: With the team?

Q. With all your team.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I feel like we all work together. We don't have to kind of, like, have a meeting as a preparation. I know that everyone is in contact with each other. We all work together for our best. I don't have to, like, consider putting them all together and speak through whatever we want.

It's been amazing to see how everyone knows each other and how we have to say just one word and, like, we understand each other.

Yeah, we'll have one hitting tomorrow. We'll speak about my opponent on the court tomorrow. After the practice, we're going to watch my opponent, talk a little bit.

Can be random. I can randomly come to any team member and ask whatever I feel like asking. They all contact each other, Yeah, by the way, she asked that.

It's kind of cool to see how everything working really well together.

Q. I hope this isn't sacrilegious to ask in a Wimbledon press room. There was a reporter open social media that suggested strawberries and cream might be overrated. Are you a fan?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I was actually curious what's coming next (smiling).

I don't know, like, if it's overrated or underestimated, whatever. I would say I'm not a fan of strawberries with any sort of cream. I just like plain strawberries. That's my on go. There are so many people who, like, really likes it.

Actually, to be honest, it's actually crazy, I never try it. Can you believe? I believe that there is sugar. Every time I'm playing, I try to stay no sugar. I never try it. Wow, that's actually crazy. I just realized that. After so many years, I never tried it. How about that?

After the tournament, I'll try and I'll tell you if it's overestimated or if it's underestimated. We'll talk about that later.

Q. There was a long gap between the first time you played Naomi and recently. Does playing each other a lot in a short space of time up the pressure to improve for you? Does it build the tension?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say that I'm not really like thinking about that. That's why I'm focusing on improving myself every day. Whenever I play someone back to back to back, it's always something new I'm bringing on court. For me it's a new story every time I play someone.

Every tournament, I have to play someone, for me it's a new match. I don't really care about what happened in the past. I think that's really been working well for me in terms of bringing the best tennis, being focused, being really motivated.

For me doesn't really matter how many times I will play someone in a year, I will just go out there and bring the fight and I'll do everything it takes to get through.