Aryna Sabalenka credits Wimbledon ban with sparking a renaissance
While Aryna Sabalenka is delighted to be back at Wimbledon and even more thrilled to be in the last four she feels her absence from the tournament last season sparked a resurgence after a mini-slump.
Sabalenka feels that the enforced break she took because of Wimbledon’s ban on players from Russia and Belarus last term allowed her to reset and refocus.
She believes it was that break that set her on the path to becoming the Australian Open champion.
“Well, I was really sad that I couldn’t play here last year. But at the same time I was thinking that, okay, it’s a good time to kind of like reset and start everything over again.
“Before grass season, like, I didn’t play my best tennis. I was struggling a lot with my serve, with these emotions, with a lot of stuff. I just took that time as a good preparation, as a good like little switch. Everything start working better.
“So I think in those, I don’t know like how many weeks, probably three or four weeks, I did really good work, and it’s help me at the US Open. Then I kind of, like, start believing in myself more, I start playing better, I start feeling better on court, emotionally I start feeling better.
“I think those period gave me so much believe in myself. Yeah, so I’m kind of like I was very sad but at same time I was like, okay, this is probably something I really needed.”
Sabalenka says that she is not surprised that she is facing Ons Jabeur in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The world No 2 says that she practiced with Jabeur before the tournament and felt that she was in good touch.
Jabeur got the better of defending champion Elena Rybakina to avenge her championship match loss last term.
When asked if she was surprised to be facing Jabeur, Sabalenka said: “No, actually we practiced here before Wimbledon.
“I felt like she’s going to do well here because she played unbelievable tennis on practice court.
“I know it’s different on practice than on match. She was able to bring this level on matches.
“It’s not like I didn’t expect that. Yeah, she’s a great player. We always had tough battles against each other, very close matches. I really looking forward for this great battle.”
If Sabalenka reaches the Wimbledon final she will become world No 1 but she is trying not to get caught up in what-ifs right now.
“To be honest, I want both,” Sabalenka went on to say at her post-match press conference following a win over Madison Keys.
“But I’m trying to focus on myself because I know if I’ll start thinking about all this stuff, I’m going to lose my focus on court, my game. So I’m trying to focus on myself right now and make sure that every time I’m on the court I bring my best tennis.”
