I Don’t Desrve This: Aryna Sabalenka shuts down every ‘false’ notion about her in Toronto After She…
Aryna Sabalenka wanted to make one thing clear during her pre-tournament press conference in Toronto as the two-time Grand Slam champion shut down the claim that clay is not her best surface.
Since Sabalenka has a big game and plays very aggressive tennis, the natural assumption is that hard and grass courts are surfaces that better suit her game. And in Toronto, the current world No. 3 was asked how she feels about her hard chances after doing on clay which is “not your best surface.”
“I love to play on clay court. I don’t know why people think that this is not my best surface. I probably feel better on clay than on hard, to be honest. But, yeah, result-wise, I’m better on hard court (laughing),” Sabalenka said.
On hard courts, Sabalenka won her two Slam titles as she captured back-to-back titles in the last two Australian Open editions. Also, only two of the 26-year-old Belarusian’s 15 titles have come on clay – she won the Madrid Open in 2021 and 2023.
During this year’s clay swing, Sabalenka did well but didn’t win any titles – she finished as runner-up to Iga Swiatek in the Madrid and Rome finals before exiting the French Open in the quarterfinal.
“Yeah, I mean, clay court is different tennis. It’s longer rallies, you need to build a point, you need to finish the point. It’s definitely a good thing for the hard court where the points become shorter and faster, and probably physically you’re better after clay court, because after playing such long rallies you feel much better playing on hard court. I guess that’s what I’m taking from the clay court result is, like, my physical ability probably is better,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka on returning to Toronto
This week, former world No. 1 Sabalenka will be making her third Toronto appearance and also her sixth overall appearance at the National Bank Open – which rotates between Toronto and Montreal every year.
When it comes to the National Bank Open editions in Toronto, Sabalenka lost in the first round in 2019 before picking up a round-of-16 defeat to Coco Gauff in 2022. In Montreal, Sabalenka had a bit more success as she was a semifinalist there in 2021 and also had two round-of-16 outings.
When Sabalenka faces either Cristina Bucsa or Yuan Yue in her Toronto opener after a first-round bye, it will be her second tournament on hard courts this summer. Last week, the Belarusian made her return from a shoulder injury in Washington where she lost to Marie Bouzkova in the semifinal.
And going into Toronto, Sabalenka acknowledges she didn’t play her best in Washington and hopes to change that at the Canadian WTA 1000 tournament.
“I feel really happy to be back. It’s a really beautiful tournament. I missed Toronto. Yeah, I played Washington after the injury, and, I mean, I would say I didn’t play my best there, but I guess I just needed those matches to get back on track. Yeah, I’m doing everything I can to bring better tennis here in Toronto than there in Washington,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka on people having big expectations from her in Toronto
After a good clay season, Sabalenka sustained a shoulder injury during a Berlin quarterfinal retirement and later didn’t play at Wimbledon. But in Toronto, she was told that “people are expecting big things from you here.”
Sabalenka proceeded to highlight that her concern was only focusing on her game and trying to be her best version on the court and underlined that what other people think is not something she can or should focus on.
“I mean, that’s not my expectation, that’s someone else expectation. I guess I’m willing not to think about that. I’m just trying to focus on myself, and, yes, I know that if I’ll be able to bring my best tennis, I know that I can, yeah, I can do really great on the tournament. I’m just trying to focus on myself and on bringing my best tennis every time I’m on the court,” Sabalenka said.
After the Olympics, several top players – including Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina and Zheng Qinwen – are out of Toronto. And since Sabalenka and Gauff are here, many have them as the top favorites for the title.
When it comes to Sabalenka only, probably the key to her making a good run is getting a couple of matches under her belt and slowly rediscovering her game since she only played her first match in 40 days last week.
Aryna Sabalenka
Jannik Sinner is brutally honest about Medvedev and Tsistipas’ losses in Montreal
The Italian tennis player, who qualified for the 3rd round of the Canadian ATP Masters 1000 tournament, said he was only thinking about himself, not his opponents
The losses of Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas in the 2nd round of the Canadian Open did not dampen the mood of Jannik Sinner, who said he was happy to be back on the court in singles after missing the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. The defense of his title in Canada got off to a great start for the Italian, thanks to a win over Borna Coric.
Great with the return, offering only one opportunity on serve throughout the entire match: the ATP no.1 can be quite satisfied with the level he expressed in his debut at the ATP Masters 1000 in Montreal. A level that he wants to gradually raise to get to the US Open in the desired shape.
Sinner, at the press conference, was asked to express his point of view on the premature eliminations of Daniil Medvedev and Stefanos Tsitsipas.
“I’m very happy to be back on the court. It was a tough match for sure, but I served quite well and returned quite well in the important moments and in the games where I managed to break it. So it’s a very positive start. It’s not easy to play in these conditions, sometimes there’s a bit of wind and the ball flies. It’s difficult to find the rhythm. Obviously it’s the first time since Miami that we’ve played on hard court, this is also a factor.
The first match is always tough. I was lucky to play a couple of doubles matches, they helped me find the right feeling. For the rest, I don’t look at who lost or won. I’m focused on myself, on my game and on the things. I have to do to improve. I think this is the most important thing for me,” he said.
Sinner finally praised the Italian tennis movement, trying to list some of the qualities that allow Italian players to grow and be protagonists.
“As I have always said, we are lucky: we have many Junior tournaments, Futures, many Challengers. Potentially they offer young players the chance to receive a wild card and understand the level. Then we have big events: the ATP Masters 1000 in Rome, the ATP Finals. After the US Open, there will be the Davis Cup in Bologna. There is a great movement. We have excellent coaches, the facilities are good and we are working to have more Italian tennis players. At the moment we are in a great position, we also saw it at the Olympics. We are all young, which is very nice. Everyone is different, not everyone plays the same way,” he added.
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