Just moments after reaching her fifth consecutive US Open quarter-final, Aryna Sabalenka was asked about the unique pressures of defending the crown she claimed in New York twelve months ago.
Her answer raised some eyebrows in the post-match press conference room.
“I don’t care about what happened last year,” was Sabalenka’s initial blunt assertion. Yet she was quick to clarify what she meant.
“I mean, of course it’s a big achievement, and I’m super happy I was able to achieve it once, but the goal is to do it many more times.”
“My mentality is going out there every time with the best fighting spirit and just fight for my dream. “
“I’m not playing not to lose, I play to win.”
While the world No 1 has yet to hit the formidable heights she is capable of at this year’s US Open, she has quietly and steadily been making serene progress through the draw and is yet to drop a set.
Her latest win came in last night’s session on Louis Armstrong, dispatching Cristina Bucsa 6-1, 6-4 with her most commanding performance at Flushing Meadows so far this year – a result that guarantees the defending champion will remain at world No 1 after the tournament.
One thing that has become apparent over the past week, is that Sabalenka is playing herself into form and looks to be improving with each match that goes by – something the Belarusian has noted herself.
“I’m super happy with the win. I feel with every game I play, I play better and better and better,” she added.
The three-time Grand Slam champion will next face Marketa Vondrousova in the quarter-finals as she attempts to reach a fifth straight semi-final in New York.
Vondrousova will represent a substantially bigger challenge for Sabalenka, with the 2023 Wimbledon playing some of her best tennis during her US Open run this year, having already taken out Jasmine Paolini and Elena Rybakina en route to the last eight.
This heavyweight clash of Grand Slam champions should therefore be quite the occasion.
