Aryna Sabalenka jokingly slams reporter for ‘putting pressure’ on her after being made aware of demoralizing stat
Aryna Sabalenka called out a reporter in a light-hearted manner after he told her about a stat she was not aware of before.
Aryna Sabalenka (Image via X)
Aryna Sabalenka jokingly slammed a reporter when he made her aware of a stat about her win-loss record in tournaments where she had been a first seed. Sabalenka is playing at the China Open and reached the fourth round.
The 26-year-old, the top seed in the tournament after Iga Swiatek‘s withdrawal, received a bye in the opening round and played her first match against Mananchaya Sawangkaew, before beating Ashlyn Krueger in the next round.
After her match against the American, Sabalenka was told by a journalist that she had won just two matches in the 18 tournaments she played as a top seed. Sabalenka was disappointed, but she humorously made the journalist know that she certainly wasn’t happy after being made aware of the stat.
You’re the one who’s putting pressure on me. Before, like, this question came up, I didn’t even think about that. I don’t know. Maybe, like in the past, it was some sort of pressure. Nowadays, I’m not focusing on that. It’s just the ranking. You can be world No. 1, and if you’re not bringing your best tennis, like, you’re not going to win the match.
Aryna Sabalenka said at the press conference
Sabalenka added that she has been focusing a lot on improving herself every day, and learning how she could stay calm on the court. But as she got to know about the discouraging stat, Sabalenka admitted that she would also focus on improving her stats.
Aryna Sabalenka will next face Madison Keys
Aryna Sabalenka‘s fourth-round opponent is 18th-seed Madison Keys. The American, before setting up the clash with Sabalenka, defeated Beatriz Haddad Maia in straight sets. Sabalenka has met Keys four times in the past, winning three of those matches. They last clashed in the semifinals of the 2023 US Open, which Sabalenka won.
Sabalenka has now won 14 matches in a row thanks to her successful campaigns at the Cincinnati Masters and the US Open. The Belarusian defeated home favorite Jessica Pegula in straight sets in both the tournaments.
If she wins the China Open, it will be her fourth title of the season, having won the Australian Open, Cincinnati Masters, and the US Open. Sabalenka has the chance to dethrone Iga Swiatek from the WTA rankings if she takes home the China Open title. Last year in Beijing, Sabalenka reached the quarterfinals.
Gouri Das
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