World No. 2 Aryna Sabalenka declared her “addiction to winning” and expressed a starvation for added main victories after efficiently defending her title ultimately month’s Australian Open.
Returning to motion on the WTA 1000 in Dubai this week, the Belarusian is about to compete in her first match since securing her second Grand Slam triumph at Melbourne Park.
Sabalenka, who faces Donna Vekic in spherical two, admitted to nonetheless feeling “shocked” by her potential to retain her title in Melbourne, describing it as a “dream,” however stays centered on her quest for extra silverware.
“My mindset is to keep doing what I’m doing, keep fighting, keep working. After my career, to look back and think, ‘Whoa, I was able to achieve that. That’s crazy’,” Sabalenka advised reporters in Dubai.
“I’m not the type of person that is going to win something and stop. Like I said, I’m addicted to wins. I felt like it’s just something in my blood and I keep doing, keep working and hopefully keep winning.”
After struggling to make it previous the fourth spherical in her first 14 Grand Slam appearances, Sabalenka has now reached no less than the semi-finals in her final six consecutive majors, exhibiting unimaginable consistency on the highest degree.
During that interval, the 25-year-old has overcome critical serving woes and has undergone a psychological transformation on the court docket, exuding management and confidence after years of struggling emotionally throughout matches.
“I guess I was always searching for something which can help me to control myself better,” stated Sabalenka.
“After some years working with a psychologist, I simply determined to type of take the accountability on myself, simply to begin to take the accountability and never look forward to any person that can assist you repair one thing.
“In the end, the only one thing helping me is just myself, just stop expecting people to fix my problems, start fixing my problems by myself. I think that’s brought much more confidence and much more control.”
Sabalenka has taken a while to have a good time her Australian Open triumph and says she remains to be feeling “emotional” about her victory however “it’s already in the past and I need to focus on the next one.”
Meanwhile, top-seeded Iga Swiatek has touched down in Dubai, a day after pulling off a formidable threepeat in Doha.
The Polish four-time main champion is the primary participant to win the identical WTA titles 3 times in a row since Serena Williams reigned supreme in Miami from 2013 to 2015.
“It’s crazy. Honestly, when I came to Doha, I was thinking a little bit about that,” stated Swiatek on her uncommon hat-trick.
“It acquired my expectations just a little bit greater and the stress just a little bit greater. I’m comfortable that through the time I performed, I might concentrate on the fitting issues and actually get the work accomplished.
“After it happened, it was just surreal and amazing.”
Swiatek is just not too involved in regards to the fast turnaround from Doha to Dubai, noting her success at each occasions final yr, the place she adopted up her Qatar Open title victory with a runner-up exhibiting within the Emirates.
The world No. 1 has a bye within the opening spherical in Dubai and awaits the winner of the conflict between former U.S. Open champion Sloane Stephens and French qualifier Clara Burel in spherical two.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
