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WESTERN & SOUTHERN OPEN

August 17, 2018

Aryna Sabalenka

Cincinnati, Ohio

A. SABALENKA/M. Keys

6-3, 6-4

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You must be very pleased. That was a great performance. How did you feel out there?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, absolutely that was a great experience for me, and I was so happy that I did it in two sets finally. So I think it's more important for me.

I always enjoy to play on the center stadium, and there was nice match. I'm so happy for that.

Q. You have played quite a lot this week. It's been a long week. Tomorrow there is another match. So what are you going to do between today and tomorrow?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I will have some rest, some physio, recovery, or eat some food. I hope it will be tasty food. It should be (smiling). Get ready for the next day.

Q. What do you usually eat when you're here?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Meat, vegetables. Yeah.

Q. So Simona next.
ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, Simona, yeah, yeah. Yeah, it will be pretty tough match. She's the first. She's a great player, good fighter. It's going to be so tough for me, but I will do my best.

Q. I don't know. Did you play two matches today?
ARYNA SABALENKA: No, no. I played just one. I was so lucky for that.

Q. She played two, so you have an advantage there?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah. Last week in Montreal I played two matches in one day. This is so tough. And she did really well. She won it.

She's a great player. She's a good fighter. For her I think it doesn't matter how many matches in a day she can play.

Q. That looked like the calm, straight-set performance you were talking about yesterday.
ARYNA SABALENKA: Oh, yeah, absolutely. Now I'm so happy I did it in two sets, and now I am, like, can be more calm, because before I was, like, Come on, just two sets, two sets, not three, please, please, please. You have to save your energy.

Q. Do you remember the last straight-set match you won this year?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Oh, I don't know. I don't remember. I think it was in the clay court. Yeah, I think so.

Q. (Indiscernible) semifinal?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I think so.

Q. What was the key today to keeping calm?
ARYNA SABALENKA: You know, I was so calm. I don't know why. I just came on the court and think, like, well, this is the quarters. You play on the center stadium. She's a great player. Just come on the court and enjoy it.

It's really works. Wow. And I'm so happy for that. Easy. The key is easy. Just to be calm.

Q. You saved 10 out of 10 break points today. What was the key to that?
ARYNA SABALENKA: I was thinking, come on, you need an ace on this one. Just service. It's enough.

Actually, I think I save it with aces or, like, really good serve, which ones she didn't return. (Shrugging.)

Q. How does this all feel? I mean, you have beaten top 10 players the last two weeks, second premier semifinal. A lot of people are talking about you now, especially going into New York. Is it weird?
ARYNA SABALENKA: You know, like, doesn't matter against whom you play. I understand right now. It's just like you have to come on the court and play and don't think about top players or this is not seeded players. Just, like, come and show people your best. It's enough.

Q. Thoughts on your next match?
ARYNA SABALENKA: It will be tough. She's the first, and she's a great player, good fighter. She's moving really god. She didn't miss a lot. She put all the balls in. So it's gonna be so tough for me. But I will do my best.

Q. How did you start working with Dmitry?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, it's amazing. He's a great coach, great player, and really great guy. I'm so happy to work with him, and I'm so happy that my sponsor found me this coach.

Q. When did you start with him?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Before the grass court. So, like, two weeks before.

Q. What's he like as a coach? We knew him as a player. He was a very fun player. Is he fun as a coach?
ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, yeah. He's so fun. He's so fun, and everyone know it. Sometimes it's too much. But I like it (smiling).

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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