Damage Scare Behind Her, Sabalenka Zeroes in on Swiatek Problem in Rome

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Friday May 17, 2024

After her gruelling win over Elina Svitolina within the spherical of 16 at Rome, Aryna Sabalenka wasn’t positive if she’d be capable of proceed enjoying in Rome resulting from a difficulty along with her decrease again. A couple of days later, the World No.2 is again in one other large last, and on the point of sq. off with Iga Swiatek for the crown.

Her skill to beat large obstacles this spring is a testomony to the psychological and bodily toughness of Sabalenka.

She says her again – a minimum of for the second – is not a difficulty.

“I was considering retiring from the tournament,” Sabalenka stated on Thursday after her win over Danielle Collins pushed her file on the clay in 2024 to 11-2, and 25-5 for the reason that begin of 2023. “Lucky me, I had an extra day. I was doing a lot of recovery. I’m still doing lots of exercise, lots of treatments, always taking care of my lower back. It’s getting better. So I guess we’re on the right way.

“I don’t know. I’m doing everything myself to recover as fast as I can and to be ready for the Paris. Right now I’m feeling great. I’m not in pain during the matches.”

Aryna Sabalenka on dealing with Iga Swiatek in Rome last

“Does this rivalry give you extra motivation?”

Aryna: “Definitely. I actually like our powerful battles. It’s at all times shut matches. I actually get pleasure from enjoying towards her. It’s at all times excessive stage tennis. Hopefully we convey our greatest… pic.twitter.com/W1yB2rWYjG

— The Tennis Letter (@TheTennisLetter) May 16, 2024

Asked how she felt about dealing with Swiatek once more after she squandered three championship factors and fell to the World No.1 the Madrid last on May 5, Sabalenka stated she’ll be extra assertive if she will get into the identical place once more.

“Definitely if I’m going to get to the point when I’m going to stay there with the match point, I’m going to go a little bit more aggressive,” she stated. “I’ll just go. I’ll trust myself and go for shots instead of trying to keep in the point, just keep the ball back in. Instead of playing safe, I would just go for it.”

Sabalenka has gained three of ten earlier conferences with Swiatek, and one of many pair’s 4 conferences on clay.

Swiatek is a two-time champion at Rome, and can go in because the heavy favourite, provided that Rome’s slower situations swimsuit her higher than the sooner court docket in Madrid, which is performed at altitude (2130 ft above sea stage). But Sabalenka hopes to show that she will compete with Swiatek on any sort of clay.

“You always look for new things,” she informed reporters. “You always try to improve lots of stuff, especially after those kinds of matches like in Madrid. You always try and find some stuff to improve where you can get better so next time you’ll be able to finish the match.

“After Madrid we worked a lot on a couple of things. We’ll see. We’ll see on Saturday if it’s going to help me or not and we’ll move from there – I really have strong belief that I can get that win.”