PORSCHE TENNIS GRAND PRIX

April 15, 2024

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, welcome back to Porsche Tennis Grand Prix. You've reached the final here three times. How much do you really want to win the title and the Porsche this year?

ARYNA SABALENKA: This year I really want to win this one. I keep coming back. I love this tournament, always enjoy my time here, always enjoy playing here.

I'm just super happy to be back here.

THE MODERATOR: Who would like the first question?

Q. We talk about Stuttgart, we also talk about Madrid as being kind of different tournaments to the rest of the season. Could you explain a little bit about that, how that is, the conditions in these two tournaments. Also, do you ever come to a tournament and have a good feeling? Two weeks before you win the Australian Open, do you think, I think I'm going to win this tournament?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, first of all about conditions, you mean these two tournaments compared to Rome and Paris?

Q. Yes.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Like, obviously here is a little bit faster. Madrid, because of the altitude, is also a bit faster. Yeah, I think that's basically it.

Rome is super slow and sticky, the surface. Paris also I would say kind of, like, slower clay than these two. So I think that's the difference between these two and Rome and Paris.

About the feelings... I feel like every tournament you come, you kind of like trying to... I don't know. Even if you don't have this feeling like I probably going to do well here, you trying to kind of, like, make you feel that way. You kind of more hoping, like, I hope this one, it's going to be good for me.

Q. In terms of preparation for the clay, it's not a short clay season anymore with the other two tournaments being two weeks each, I'm curious, how much do you try to get on the clay and prep before Stuttgart, or how much does Stuttgart play into the preparation?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I mean, I really enjoy playing on clay. Preparation starts straight after Miami Open. After I finish the tournament, I have couple days off and I start preparing for the clay as soon as possible.

I think Stuttgart is a good place to start the clay season. You're slowly getting into this kind of like clay mood, I would say, sliding, playing long rallies. I like to play lots of tournaments before the Grand Slam, so I think it's a good one to start with.

Q. Most of the successful players on the WTA Tour are from eastern Europe, like you, too. Do you have an explanation for this kind of dominance?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think we all been raised in tough conditions and we're really tough people and we're fighters. I don't know, that's the only explanation I see.

I mean, I would say this stuff about myself. It wasn't easy for me, and I was always fighting for my dream. I think that we are kind of, like, tough. I don't know. Whatever (laughter).

Q. Obviously a strong clay season for you last year. A few points away from making the Roland Garros final, as well. How important was the Madrid title last year, your success here in Stuttgart, Roland Garros last year? How important is that in terms of your belief as to this section of the season is on the table for you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I think it was really important. It's important for every player to know they're able to play on each surface and don't have this weird feeling going into the specific surface thinking like, Oh, my God, that's not my place, I'm not going to do well here. It was really important for me to have this success, to have this belief.

Yeah, I mean, I got really close last year of making the finals of French Open, like really close. Still probably hurting. But it's okay. I always say, We're not losing, we are learning.

I think that experience was really important for me to learn a lot of stuff. Hopefully this year I can do little bit better.

Q. The loss to Muchova in the semifinal sounds like it still hurts. How can you use that during this season in Stuttgart and onwards to fuel some success in Paris?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, I think if I make it to the same stage of the tournament and I'm going to stay there on 5-2, 30-Love, I'm going to stay there. No (expletive) chance I'm going to do the same. No way I can say it differently, but this is how I'm going to stay there thinking, Not this time (laughter).