ROLAND GARROS

June 2, 2021

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/A. Sasnovich

7-5, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Through two matches, how do you feel you're playing? If you could talk a little bit through today's match.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I would say wasn't great level from me today, but I'm really proud of myself that I was fighting no matter what, kind of trying to find my rhythm. Yeah, I'm really happy with this win. It was tough battle.

Q. How different do you feel coming into this French Open compared to the last couple you would have played when you consider the way you've played on the lead-in clay events?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say I definitely feel better this year, kind of believe that I can do well here on the clay court. So, yeah, I feel better and really happy to be here, to compete here.

Q. You'll be facing Vika next. Is playing a fellow Belarusian complicated at all? Is it the same as any other match for you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: As I said before, maybe before it was like that. For now, I don't really feel, like, extra pressure playing against home country player. It's just another match for me. It's another fight, yeah. My preparation is the same, so I'm ready for another battle, ready for great tennis.

Q. Considering what you just said, do you like to play her?

ARYNA SABALENKA: You mean Stasia?

Q. No, Vika.

THE MODERATOR: Guys, she's playing Pavlyuchenkova.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Answering your question, it's always great matches against Vika. I really like matches against her. It's great tennis, great battle. Yeah, it's just great matches.

But against Pavlyuchenkova, it's a tough opponent. She's aggressive. She's playing really well right now, moving well and hitting quite strong balls. So, yeah, I'm really looking forward for this match, for this battle. I will do everything I can to do well there.

Q. On playing Pavlyuchenkova, obviously you just played in Madrid. Do you take anything out of that match or is it nice to have familiarity with her game?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say I wouldn't, like, focus on that match. It's a new match. Yeah, it's a new match. As I said, she's playing well right now. I just need to be really focused. I need to bring my level there to win this match. It's going to be a great fight and I'm really looking forward for this match.

Q. Serena was saying she felt she had a lot of bad bounces. I was going to ask about the conditions. They're expected to start getting a little bit heavier in the next two days, that rain is expected. What are your thoughts on that? Is that something that might bother you? You'd rather have what we had over the last few days?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, it's a clay court. You have to expect wrong bounces. For me, yes, sometimes it's happen, but it's clay court. It's normal. I would surprise if it will go like perfectly clay, no wrong bounces like hard courts. For me it's okay.

Sometimes it's annoying, but that's part of the process. It's part of the game on the clay court.

About conditions? Yeah, it's supposed to be today actually rainy day. I was kind of thinking we will play tomorrow or really late today. I'm really happy we finished our match.

Yeah, courts can be a little bit heavier, balls can get heavy after the rain. It's something we cannot control so we have to adjust.