Aryna Sabalenka confesses that she is still in disbelief about successfully defending her Australian Open championship and jokingly suggests that conversing with Novak Djokovic might be the secret to her triumph.
After achieving her lifelong goal of becoming a Grand Slam winner at the 2023 Australian Open, 25-year-old Sabalenka returned to Melbourne Park this year as the reigning champion and departed Australia with her second Grand Slam title. Not only did Sabalenka secure back-to-back Australian Open championships, but she also accomplished this feat without dropping a single set during the two-week tournament at Melbourne Park.
“I’m still amazed that I was able to win back-to-back Australian Open titles. It’s like a dream come true. I couldn’t even imagine it,” Sabalenka admitted during her press conference prior to the tournament in Dubai.
In December 2022, Sabalenka and Djokovic were teammates at the World Tennis League in Abu Dhabi. A month later, Sabalenka emerged victorious at the Australian Open, claiming her first Grand Slam title. When asked if she had discussed her consecutive Australian Open wins and the possibility of matching Djokovic’s 10 Australian Open victories, Sabalenka made a lighthearted remark before revealing that they had not broached the subject.
“I suppose I should speak with Novak more often. Maybe that’s the reason for my success. I should talk about that more (laughs). But no, we didn’t discuss it,” Sabalenka said.
In November 2019, Sabalenka’s father Sergey tragically passed away. Prior to his death, Sabalenka had promised him that she would win at least two Grand Slam titles before turning 25. Just four months before her 26th birthday, Sabalenka clinched her second Grand Slam championship, fulfilling the promise she had made to her father.
Winning two Grand Slam titles in the span of 12 months is a significant achievement for Sabalenka. However, she remains as determined as ever, stating that she is “addicted to winning” and will strive to capture as many Grand Slam titles as possible before retiring.
“My mindset is to continue doing what I’m doing, to keep fighting and working hard. When I look back on my career, I want to be able to say, ‘Wow, I achieved all of that.’ It’s incredible,” Sabalenka said.
“I’m not the type of person who wins something and then stops. Like I said, I have a craving for victories. It’s like it’s in my blood, and I will keep pushing, keep working, and hopefully, keep winning.”
This week, Sabalenka will be competing in the WTA 1000 event in Dubai, her first tournament since the Australian Open. So far this season, Sabalenka has reached the final in both tournaments she has participated in – the Brisbane International and the Australian Open. During her pre-tournament press conference, Sabalenka appeared slightly surprised when a reporter asked her directly if she believes she will reach her third final of the season in Dubai.
“Wow, what a question,” Sabalenka responded.
“You never know. Winning one tournament doesn’t guarantee anything for the next one. You can’t predict it. Last season is in the past, and it won’t affect this season. You still have to work for it. But I will give my best to reach the final or even win the tournament.
“I love this tournament and this place. Winning here means a lot to me. It’s one of my goals, and I will do everything I can to achieve it.”
As the second-seeded player, Sabalenka received a first-round bye in Dubai. Her first opponent will be Donna Vekic, who defeated Wang Xinyu in the opening round. Surprisingly, Sabalenka has a negative head-to-head record against Vekic, with the Croatian winning five of their seven previous meetings. However, it should be noted that Sabalenka defeated Vekic in straight sets in their most recent encounter at the 2023 Australian Open.
If Sabalenka passes the challenge posed by Vekic and advances to the later stages of the tournament, she could potentially face tough competition from her biggest rivals, including Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina, and Coco Gauff, who are also competing in Dubai. Nevertheless, Sabalenka welcomes this challenge, as she hopes to compete against the best players on her path to potentially winning her first Dubai title this year.
“I actually love it. I really do. I enjoy facing tough challenges in the later stages of tournaments. Every final I play against Jelena or Iga is always a thrilling battle,” Sabalenka said.
“I always relish the fight and the effort it takes to achieve victory. I prefer earning it rather than having it come easily. I enjoy the struggle for success.”
When Sabalenka takes on Vekic, it will mark her seventh appearance in the main draw in Dubai. In the past, she has reached the quarterfinals of the tournament in 2020, 2021, and 2023.
According to the Source tennisworldusa.org