MUTUA MADRID OPEN

May 1, 2023

Aryna Sabalenka

Mixed Zone

A. SABALENKA/M. Andreeva

6-3, 6-1

ARYNA SABALENKA: ...not so good in the beginning, and then I start moving better, start feeling better, start actually playing my game.

Q. Next match you're going to play Sherif, who is first time in the quarterfinals of this type of tournament. How do you feel about her tennis?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, she's playing really well. She's already beat a lot of good players, playing really well on clay. I'm really looking forward for this match, and I will prepare myself as good as I can.

Q. In terms of moving through pretty clinically through your matches here so far in Madrid, what do you think has been the key to that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I always focus on myself more than on her, and I think just because I was just playing every point, just fighting for every point, makes the difference.

Q. In terms of just being in the quarterfinals of Madrid again and getting these consistent deep runs at tournaments, does it feel different to you this year just being able to kind of take care of the business part or the early parts of tournaments to get to the business end? Is it just easier? Is it no big deal to make the quarterfinal anymore? What do you think?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I think tennis is a little bit different right now. Everyone is playing well, and it's not actually easy to get through first rounds every match. I think just because I'm able to focus on myself and no matter what happen on court, I'm fighting for every point.

I lose my serve, I'm down in the set, I will keep fighting, keep trying. Just keep playing my game, you know.

Q. In the past when you first came onto the tour, there were a lot of counter-punchers at the top of the game like Kerber, Wozniacki. Now there aren't as many. Kasatkina says she feels very lonely. Did you feel the shift in the game? A lot more aggression and attacking?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think, yeah, I think tennis changed a little bit. It's more aggressive. Everyone is trying to hit the ball very hard. Everyone is serving. Everyone is playing really aggressively and fighting for every point.

So I think that's why it's a bit tougher to be consistent, and you have to be really focused and have to work very hard to be on the top all the time. So I think tennis changed a lot.

Q. What do you have to do to maintain that focus?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I don't know. You just have to love this sport and you just have to really want -- how to say that? Oh, my God.

Yeah, I mean, if you love this sport, if you want to do well in this sport, you will be focused on each point and you'll be focused on each match and you'll try your best every match.

Q. (Question about Madrid.)

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't know. Probably suits my game pretty well. Anyway, I made some adjustments to my strings, make sure the ball is not flying that much.

I don't know. I like clay. I really like to play here in Madrid. I guess so, and I hope I can just keep going, keep showing my best tennis here.

Q. You play well on every surface. Curious what your list of like what's your best, second-best, third-favorite surface?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I don't know. There is no favorite surface. Of course I like to play on the hard court, but at the same time when I start playing on the clay court, I really enjoying clay, so it's tough to pick one surface.

Q. When you look back on that run to the title here in 2019, comparing that Aryna and her comfort level on clay and comfort level in big finals against top players and stuff, compared to the Aryna now, what's the biggest difference?

ARYNA SABALENKA: It's a huge difference, I think. I think, yeah, I'm just a different person right now and much calmer. I'm able to focus on myself more than before and don't get distracted because of whatever happens.

Yeah, it's a bit different.