AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 21, 2025

Aryna Sabalenka

Press Conference

A. SABALENKA/A. Pavlyuchenkova

6-2, 2-6, 6-3

THE MODERATOR: Aryna, just talk us through your thoughts on the match. Very tough one out there for you today and talk about that and the conditions out there also.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Yeah, the conditions were unbelievable. The wind was so strong. It was very difficult for both of us, I think.

Just super happy to get this win. It was very difficult one. And really happy to get through this difficult match.

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Congrats.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I've been waiting for the questions. I mean, I was just, like, watching you, waiting (laughter).

Q. I have been leaving you alone. Here's the big one. How did you keep your cool tonight?

ARYNA SABALENKA: How did I...

Q. ...keep your cool in the windy conditions, given the scoreline, and the way Nastia was playing?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, I wasn't. I was all over the place. I'm really glad that at some point I was able to put myself back together, and I was able to, you know, like, I don't know, just get back to the match. I was able to keep fighting, keep trying, and I was able to turn around this match.

It was really difficult one.

Q. Next up you obviously play Paula, who is in fantastic form. Your thoughts on playing her and what you need to get right to beat her?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I mean, she's a great player and she has been through a lot. Now she's back on her best game. I'm really happy to see that.

Yeah, I saw her games here. She's playing really great tennis, I think. I think I just need to focus on myself, and I have to stay aggressive, and I have to put her under a lot of pressure.

Yeah, I'm really excited to face her in the semis. It's definitely going to be great battle, and I'm really looking forward.

Q. I know the mantra is always 'taking it one match at a time', but you're close now, semifinals. Only a small handful of women have won three in a row. Are you starting to believe that it might happen? If it was, do you feel that you belong amongst the women who have done this before? I mean, they're all legends of the game.

ARYNA SABALENKA: Well, you know, it's a big question. I'm really happy that I put myself in this situation where I have opportunity to became one of them. To be next to those names, wow, that's just a dream. Of course, it always been in the back of my mind that I can do that. But you know, my main focus is, as you said, step by step.

I know that if I'll be able to bring my best tennis on each game, if not the best tennis, then the best fight spirit, I know that I'm capable of doing that.

I'm just trying to focus on myself and on bringing my best tennis every time I'm out there.

Q. Were you scared today? If you were, how did you do it?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Did you say 'scared'?

Q. Yeah.

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think, I mean, there is nothing to do with being scared or anything. I think I passed that stage.

I was just, like, trying to figure out how to play in these conditions. I was struggling a lot with, like, finding my rhythm, finding the solution in these conditions.

It's not about being scared. It's about finding the way out. I was struggling not in the beginning, actually. In the second set I was struggling with finding the way, but then I found one way. Yeah, I'm happy that I was able to do that.

Q. What was the solution then that you kind of settled on in terms of solving it, yeah?

ARYNA SABALENKA: Praying. I was just praying. No.

I think the main solution was just to stay low and just try to put an extra ball back on that side and stay focused and play with the discipline.

Q. I guess following up to the question before, you know, going for number three, what in your game do you feel is so much better maybe now than the last two years where you've been able to get to the top?

ARYNA SABALENKA: I think I'm managing my emotions much better. Even if I get frustrated on the court, I'm able to bring myself back on court and shift my focus to the right direction. I think that's been the key in most of the matches.