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By Richard Pagliaro | @Tennis_Now | Wednesday, Could 8, 2024
Ladies’s tennis has floor queens, however court docket class is not decisive once they face off says Aryna Sabalenka.
Two-time Australian Open champion Sabalenka stated she regards world No. 1 Iga Swiatek as finest on clay and sees 2022 Wimbledon winner Elena Rybakina as a premier grass-court participant, however believes Grand Slam champions can beat one another on their most popular floor.
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“I imply, clearly Iga is a lot better on clay than me, for instance,” Sabalenka instructed the media in Rome. “I’d say Elena is best on grass. I am perhaps slightly bit higher on arduous court docket.
“On the identical time I can not say that it is all in regards to the floor. I imply, because the time exhibits, I can beat them on clay, on arduous, on grass. It isn’t in regards to the floor, I’d say. It is about actually in every match couple of key moments the place, like, in all probability she performed higher.”
Pointing to the actual fact she held three championship factors in Saturday’s Madrid closing earlier than bowing to Swiatek, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6(7) in a pulsating three hour, 11-minute Mutua Madrid Open final, Sabalenka stated it typically comes all the way down to managing the vital moments.
“For instance, final match with Iga, I would not say on these essential factors I did one thing unsuitable, it is simply I used to be doing the fitting factor, however she was doing it higher little bit,” stated Sabalenka, who celebrated her twenty sixth birthday on Cinco de Mayo. “It is nearly little issues.
“Yeah, it isn’t in regards to the floor. It is a course of. You be taught from that little errors you made in the course of the match, then you definately go and work on them, you strive higher subsequent time. It is simply little enhancements, like little proportion higher day by day. Hope for the higher outcome.”
The 2023 US Open finalist disputes the concept of the WTA Massive 4—Swiatek, Sabalenka, Rybakina and US Open champion Coco Gauff—asserting in ladies’s tennis “anyone can beat anyone.”
Although she does not see a brand new Massive 3 rising, Sabalenka stated she’s pushed to stay within the High 3 within the rankings.
“Now we’ve some rivals, which means like me, Iga and Elena. We’re doing perhaps extra constant, play extra constantly previous years,” Sabalenka stated. “Possibly final 12 months and this 12 months to this point. I’d say that in tennis, anyone can beat anyone.
“For those who would begin considering like, My stage is there, they’re someplace there – learn how to say – you are not respect them, you underestimate them, and also you’re type of like shedding it since you’re not – learn how to say – focusing properly sufficient for them.
“It is all about being targeted, do your factor, not desirous about all these rating conditions, the extent is increased than them. I am specializing in myself and ensuring that each time I am on the court docket I deliver my finest tennis and hope that I will nonetheless be there in that prime three gamers, yeah.”
Photograph credit score: Julian Finney/Getty
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