US OPEN

September 5, 2024

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/E. Navarro

6-3, 7-6

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, if you would, your thoughts on the win.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that was very difficult match, especially at the end of the second set I got a little emotional and had this little flashback on last year final, meaning the crowd atmosphere.

I'm really glad that the lessons learned, and I was able to control my emotions and I was able to close this match in two sets.

THE MODERATOR: Questions.

Q. You touched on it, but just how much growth have you made in that area where you have a home crowd obviously cheering for their player and you don't let that, for lack of a better term, get in your head?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, like last year it was very tough experience, very tough lesson. Today in the match, I was, like, No, no, no, Aryna, it's not going to happen again. You have to control your emotions. You have to focus on yourself.

There was people supporting for me. I was trying to focus on them. I'm thinking, come on, there is so many people supporting you. There is your team in the box. There is your family. Just focus on yourself and try to -- not try -- just fight for it.

Yeah, that's it.

Q. What went into your decision not to play the Olympics? Did it have anything to do with not being able to represent your nation? And now, looking back, do you feel grateful you did skip it because it allowed you to be prepared for this tournament?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, first of all, I got injured before Wimbledon, so I just, I couldn't play anyway. But my decision was based on the tough scheduling, you know, and you have to sacrifice something. I decided to sacrifice Olympics for the hard court season.

I have no regrets on that decision. I mean, it looks like it was the right one, and I had a great kind of like time off. I did a lot of treatment, a lot of rehab and all that stuff. Then I had a little camp before the hard court season. I was able to reset my mind and clean my thoughts and start everything from the beginning.

Q. Well done. You've had some rough nights here, you referenced last year and had some other things. And yet, you seem kind of happy when you come to this tournament and you're fresh and it's new. What is it that allows you to sort of keep an open mind and sort of seemingly be optimistic after all that's happened to you here?

ARYNA SABALENKA: This year, you said, after everything happened to me this year? Just here in the past?

Q. No, I'm talking just at the US Open in New York.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah.

Q. Some people would be, like, I'm never going to that place again.

ARYNA SABALENKA: No, that's not about me. Yeah, I had really tough lessons here in the past, really, like -- as I think I had so many opportunities here, but I didn't use it for different reasons. I wasn't ready. Then I got emotional. Then I just couldn't handle the crowd.

So many times, like, not so many times, I felt like I just missed opportunity, and every time I'm coming back here, I really enjoy being in New York, I enjoy these courts, I enjoy crowd, I enjoy playing in this beautiful stadium in front of the crowd. I enjoy the city, the time on the court.

Every time I'm coming back here, I have this positive thinking, like, Come, on, maybe this time. Every time I'm hoping that one day I'll be able to hold that beautiful trophy.

You know, like tough losses never -- how to say? -- like, makes me feel depressed, like, not thinking like of not coming back on the tournament. It's only motivate me to come back and to try one more time, try harder and maybe, like, work harder on some things which maybe didn't work in the past.

I'm still hoping to hold that beautiful trophy.

Q. As much as you enjoy the crowd, what is the toughest part about the crowd on Ashe? Is it the fact when they're supporting the Americans, is it the loudness, is it when they're cheering? What makes it tricky?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I would say that, I mean, today wasn't that crazy, actually. They were loud, but during the point they were respectful and chill, you know. Last year they were just super loud, even during the point. It was that loud, so it was blocking my ears, so that was, like, so much pressure.

I think the mistake was that I was focusing on myself, but I didn't think that she's actually also on the same court, feeling the same loudness from the crowd, and we all in the same conditions. Yeah, they're cheering for her, but how can they help her to win the match, only if I let them get into my head and only if I'm gonna just lose myself, you know, get crazy.

So, yeah, that's the trickiest is the loudness of how loud it can be on this stadium.

Q. They're out playing, your next opponents, so we don't know for sure who it will be. Individually, though, starting with Jessica, what are your thoughts on the matches you've had before and the outlook for this one?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I mean, we had a lot of great battles in the past, really difficult, tight matches. She playing really incredible tennis. We played recently in Cincinnati. Was really tough match, even though I closed the match in two sets, but still it wasn't that easy.

She's playing her best tennis, I would say, and feels like she's back on track. I mean, she won the tournament, then she made the final, then she's here, a step away from another final. So she's in incredible shape. It's going to be another great battle against her.

Yeah, cannot way to play against her.

Q. And if it's Muchova, what are your thoughts on what she's done in coming back from injury to regain her form?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, that's really incredible. Really happy for her. I mean, she faced so many challenges, so many injuries, and every time she's able to come back on the top level, she's playing incredible tennis, the variation is impressive, serve and volley, great player. I had really tight, tough losses in the past to her.

So I'm really looking forward to get that revenge.

Q. A couple of days ago here, you talked about that you are practicing slices and volley often, and today you made these shots at very crucial point. How did you think that it's important for you to have that kind of options and how happy you are to have this very important point?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I think that's really important to have all the skills, you know, all the variation in your game, and especially on those crucial moments when opponents used to one tennis from me, and if I'm able to kind of like play around and change it whenever I need, whenever I feel like I have to, I think that's makes the difference, and that's what makes -- not makes, that's what put my opponent under even more pressure.

I think that's very important, and I'm really happy that we are working on everything with my team and trying to improve every asset of my game. Yeah, I think that's really important, and as you said, in the crucial moments, these things really help me.

Q. You have talked about finding calm in your life and learning to separate personal life from tennis. But I'm just wondering, have you also learned to carry some of that calm onto the court maybe in tight situations, like tonight in the second set?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, I worked really hard on my mindset on the match. Yeah, I think I made really huge improvement on that calmness, on that crucial moments.

I'm really happy to see that in those key moments I'm able to stay focused and just try to do my best and focusing on my tennis, on things which I have to do to win this match, not like on outside.

Even if things are not working well for me, I'm still keep doing right things and I'm staying in control. I'm really proud, I'm actually really proud of myself that I was able to get to the point when I'm in control of my emotions.