US OPEN

September 7, 2024

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/J. Pegula

7-5, 7-5

THE MODERATOR: Congratulations, Aryna. Your thoughts on the championship match.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, yeah, it was very difficult match. She played really incredible tennis. Honestly, after me leading 3-Love I didn't really expect her to come back with such a high level. I'm really glad that I was able to hold my serve in that 5-3 down. Then to broke her back, it gave me so much belief that I can close this match in two sets.

So very difficult match, and super happy with the win.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. Congratulations, Aryna. In the second set, can you talk a little bit more, she wins five straight games, I mean, how you stayed mentally strong and what were you thinking at that time?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, that was really incredible tennis from her. I mean, I had my opportunities and at 3-1 I was serving and then I had a breakpoint and 3-Love, but, you know, she come up with winners, with really aggressive tennis. Just it felt like one second and it's 3-5, and I'm serving, I was, like, Wow, that's crazy level from her. In that moment I just told myself, okay, just try to hold your serve.

I was kind of, like -- I was getting ready for the third set. At least, like, you'll be confident on your serve in the third set, and then I held my serve. I put so much pressure on her on that serving game at 5-4, and I'm really glad I was able to broke her back.

Q. Congratulations. You'll still be the World No. 2, but you're the holder of multiple Grand Slam titles. How much does it bother you not being World No. 1 and how much is it just about winning these biggest titles?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I'm not trying to focus on ranking, to be honest. Not like I'm checking where I'm gonna be after the tournament. I'm just trying to focus on myself, and I know that if on each tournament I'll be able to play my best tennis and I'll be able to bring this fight spirit on each game, I'll be able to become World No. 1 again. So my focus is on myself, on improving myself as a player and as a person.

Yeah, hopefully one day I'll see myself on the top of the ranking.

Q. It's your third title now, and I wonder how much you think about your place in the history of this sport.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, you know, after I lost my father, it's always been my goal to put our family name in the history of tennis. Every time I see my name on that trophy, I'm so proud of myself, I'm proud of my family that they never gave up on my dream and that they were doing everything they could to keep me going.

So I had this opportunity in life. So it really means a lot. Yeah, it's been always my dream. I still kind of cannot believe that I was able to achieve, like me with my team, we were able to achieve so much already.

Q. From the outside, it looks like you're taking big risks on the biggest points, just from the public perspective. Is that the way you see it, and how do you describe your mentality on those big points?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I know that I have to go for it. That's the only way it works for me, because every time I'm trying to play safer and play, like, be aware of these key moments. Every time I stop my arms and the ball flies in the stands, so long time ago I decided for myself in that those important moments I just have to go for it, I have to swing. If I'm gonna, like, swing till the end without stopping my arms, I know the ball going to go in, so that's, like, that's the only option for me (smiling).

Q. There were tense moments at the end of each set. I'm wondering how much, if at all, did your mind go back to last year's final here, semifinal the year before? And if you were at all thinking about that, what was it that you were telling yourself?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Honestly, I thought that I will be thinking a lot about previous years here, because I had a lot of tough lessons here, the US Open, very difficult one, I would say, especially the last year.

Honestly, today I just keep reminding myself that this is the US Open final, of course she's going to fight really hard for it and it's not going to be easy, and I have to work really hard to get it.

In those tough moments, I was just, you know, like, trying to stay strong and trying to remind myself that I have been through a lot and I'm strong enough to hold under this pressure.

So I'm actually really glad that I didn't have any feedbacks in the last year (smiling).

Q. You have talked, been open about how this year there has been a difficult stretch with injury and heartbreaking personal loss. Can you discuss why winning this title this year is particularly sweet and important to you?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I faced a lot of challenges on and off the court. The difficult one was also, like, being injured and not able to play Wimbledon. It was new experience for me.

It's also very special place here, the US Open. I also had a lot of tough losses in the past. I was always hoping that one day I'll be able to hold this beautiful trophy. It's been always my dream.

That's why it's very special, because no matter what, every time I was coming back stronger, and I was learning, I never gave up on this dream, and yeah, you know, it's means a lot.

Q. I was curious what your reaction was seeing Jason's tiger tattoo on his head. I'm hoping it's temporary.

ARYNA SABALENKA: (Laughter.) No, it's permanent. No, but honestly, I forgot about that, but I think in Washington there is one girl, she's my fan, she's supporting me and she always come up with some cool stuff related to my name.

She brought this temporary tattoos, and Jason promised me that if I make it to the finals he's gonna make it, he's gonna put it on his forehead. I wish it would be a little bit lower, like right here would be cooler, right? (Laughter.)

And I forgot about that. Today we had lunch or dinner before the match, and he was, like, Hey, and he showed me, everyone is like, Okay, come on. We're gonna make it. Not the whole team, but half of the team, they also had, like, little tiger here on the arm. Yeah, my friends had, like, also kind of, like, the same spot. That was cool, right?

Just always come up with something new. It was signature, and now it's, like, tiger tattoo. I'm really curious what's going to be next, Jason. I was about to say he would color his hair. (Laughter.) Maybe Anton will come up with some fun stuff, right? Like pink or purple hair, why not?

Q. You talked a little bit about how you have sort of improved yourself with slices, dropshots, variety. You executed some of those kind of shots today at key moments. Do you feel now that you're sort of confident in that plan B, or things that are not always, you know, when you hit the ball hard and hit winners from everywhere?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, it's really good to have these options in your pocket, you know. Like, when you feel like, okay, sometimes you don't feel your best on the baseline and you can just go for a slice or a dropshot or, like, come to the net.

I mean, I've been always working on this variation on the court. I'm really glad that I'm brave enough to use these tools in those key moments.

So I think that's really important to always improving yourself. Like, I feel I put even more pressure on the opponents when they see I'm not only hard hitter, I can also play with some touch. So we always work on that assets of my game.

We will continue and hopefully one day we're gonna see me serve and volley. I'm not sure I'm brave enough to do that, but maybe once I will come up with this plan C.

Hopefully we'll never need it, but whatever. Whatever it takes, you know (smiling).

Q. Congrats. In sports elite athletes have the joy, the privilege to just sort of experience that moment of victory. It was extraordinary when you fell on your back and you finally had it. What flashed through your mind? What was that experience like?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, would definitely say this is kind of, like, best moments. Yeah, would definitely say that this is, like, it was the best moment, one of the best moments.

Like, so many things was going through my mind. The first one was that, all those tough losses in the past, and I was just, like, so proud of myself and proud of my team that no matter what, we were able to come back stronger and come back with the better tennis.

And now finally we are having this beautiful trophy. Yeah, I mean, I don't know. I don't know how to describe that feeling. You're crying, you're laughing, you're just, you know, you feel all these emotions at the same time. That's the best feeling. I really wish everyone could or can experience that.