ROLAND GARROS

June 1, 2024

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/P. Badosa

7-5, 6-1

THE MODERATOR: Another strong performance from you today. What gave you an advantage, do you think, in this match?

ARYNA SABALENKA: That was really, really tough match today. I don't know what actually gave me advantage. I was just trying to focus on myself. I was trying to fight for every point. It was really tough battle, and I'm really happy to get through this one.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. You made several exquisite drop shots today. Were they part of your initial game plan, or you came up with them on the moment?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say that I talk with my coach before the match, and that was kind of, like, part of the game plan for today's match, but it wasn't like -- it was the plan for the match, but only if I feel like going for it. It's a tricky shot, and sometimes you can get too much into the drop shots and start losing your game.

It was just like I felt like going, and I was going for it.

Q. How long does it take you to become friends again after a match like that? Do you pause like a friendship before? Do you have an arrangement or something or is it just sort of natural and how things are?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Usually it's like couple of minutes because we see each other in the gym, and we are good. As we always say, we are good in separating things. On court we are opponents, but off court we are friends.

Usually it's couple of minutes, but I just saw her right now walking from her meeting, and she seems to be pissed a little bit. But no, no, no, we're very good on separating things.

Q. Back to those drop shots, I know we're asking you about this a lot, but you say you talk to your coach because it's part of the game plan. If you didn't have that discussion with them, would you be hitting as many? Would you say now that the shot is coming natural to you, do you feel pretty comfortable, especially on the clay? Because it looks like you are pretty comfortable with it.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say I really feel comfortable doing all those drop shots. I definitely have a good touch to go for drop shots. Even if it wouldn't be a game plan, I mean, on the court if I see that this is the time to go for it, I'm going to go for it.

Maybe not that much. Usually I'm just, you know, I go on court, I have a game plan. If I need to adjust, I will adjust, so...

Q. Did you see Swiatek crying in the gym. What do you think about the pressure in tennis?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I just saw a little clip of her crying, and I totally get it. It was very tough match. It was really close to lose that match. I guess she was just throwing out all those -- not negative -- but all the tension out. I think I would do actually the same.

Yeah, there is a lot of pressure in tennis, but only if you focus in on that pressure. I think, like me personally, I'm just trying to focus on myself and getting better as the player and on bringing my best tennis every time I'm playing, yeah.

Q. I just wonder what music do you listen to to get yourself pumped up before playing?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Wow. There is -- oh, my God. This question is a very difficult question because I don't have, like, particular music, how to say, music choice, you know.

I mean, today was like random play list. There was a lot of different songs, like pop music, country music. There was some Eminem. It was Imagine Dragons. It's a big one like from, I don't know, rap to pop. You know, sometimes it's set music, but not for before the match time. It's so, you know, like, different.

Q. I would say that you have a lot of fans from Serbia because I'm from Serbia, and every time we post something about you, it's great comments. I want to ask you, how does it feel for you when you know that you have fans literally all over the world?

ARYNA SABALENKA: You know, this is the best thing to hear because, I don't know, it's amazing. I'm trying to be open. I'm trying to be connected with the fans. I'm trying to show my on-court and off-court life. To hear this comment is really amazing, and it's something what motivates me to keep going, keep pushing myself.

I don't know. Maybe one day I'm going to realize that I was inspiration for some of the people, and probably in some ways I help them to get through whatever. To know that I have more positive comments than negative, that's something good for me because it used to be different. I'm really happy that I'm kind of, like, moving another direction right now (laughing).

Q. In South America you have a lot of people following your career. I would like to ask, how do you manage all the social media going on? Because nearly everyone is watching all the time the media. Do you after a match or one week after or how do you manage all this information and comments of the people who look for you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that's very tough to manage. I would say that during the tournament, I'm trying to separate myself from the comments because definitely if you're looking for something, you're going to find something bad, and then you're going to start thinking too much about that.

I'm just showing my life during the tournament, just staying kind of, like, in touch with people. Then after the tournament I see all the good stuff, all the comments. I really appreciate for all the support. It's really great to see that people understand myself, understand me well.

Yeah, I would say that after the tournament, I go through all the comments (laughing).

Q. I was also wondering, there are sometimes negative reactions. How do you handle that?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think it all comes with experience. Usually I would say negative people are the loudest one, and I just try to ignore them.

I understand that it's impossible make the whole world love you. It's absolutely fine. I'm absolutely okay if someone doesn't like me. It's okay.

I know that I have more people who support me than negative, than, I don't know, haters. I'm trying to shift my focus on positive thinking.

Q. Paula was talking about how much of an inspirational figure you are, and you've been to her. I wonder in these last couple of years when she struggled with injury, have you all had conversations regarding her comeback, about where she was? If you could tell us a little about that.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, we are talking a lot, and I only wish this girl the best. I know how much she struggled. Probably I know a lot about her life, and I was trying to help her as much as I could talking, like, sharing my experience because I was struggling with -- some of her injuries was similar to mine, and I know how to get through it, and I was sharing my experience with her.

She knows that I'm always there for her, and if she needs to talk and ask something, I'm always there. Because, you know, at the beginning it was tricky because I didn't want to be the person who's jumping on her with my advices and telling how it should be. I was kind of, like, giving her her time. As soon as I realize that she is actually open for whatever, I was actually sharing my experience with her.

Q. You did sign Jason's head again today.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yes, I did (laughing).

Q. It's ten straight matches that you've done it, or did it not start with the first one at the Aussie Open?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think it started from the beginning of the Aussie open, yeah.

Q. When do you do this before the match? Is there a ceremony? How does it all go down?

ARYNA SABALENKA: We all stand around (laughing). Me and Jason in the middle, and I sign this (laughing), his head with, I don't know, classic music playing in the back. Oh, no, no.

I don't know. It somehow started as -- I don't want to swear right now because I'm trying to be, like, better with my words, you know (laughing), but we like to do weird stuff, you know. Somehow it started, and then I won the tournament, and I was, like, Jason, we got to keep tradition going, you know.

I wanted to do it on every tournament, every match, but he was just like, okay, let's just at least pick this tradition for the Grand Slams. So far we are doing it (laughing).