Aryna Sabalenka reveals displeasure of having her team at the corner of the court at this year’s Australian Open
Aryna Sabalenka comfortably dispatched Sloane Stephens 6-3 6-2 to kickstart her Australian Open title defense.
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Aryna Sabalenka at the Australian Open (via X)
The Australian Open began with excitement, and World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka quickly grabbed attention. The Belarusian star had a strong start, defeating Sloane Stephens in straight sets in her first match.
Despite her win, Sabalenka raised concerns about her team’s seating arrangement. Her staff was seated in the corner of the court, and she was unhappy with this change. It wasn’t about her performance but about the new setup.
Honestly, I’m not a big fan of this experiment. Or maybe there should be more seats. Personally, I like to see my entire team in my box. I always look at my coach, but I also see the others and that’s important to me. Sometimes, I want to see my fiancé, not just my coach. No, four seats are not enough (laughs).
Aryna Sabalenka in her post-match press conference reported by L’Equipe
The updated rules now allow players to communicate with their teams during matches. Sabalenka shared her thoughts about the seating with the tennis association, though it’s unclear if this change will affect her game.
Currently unbeaten this season with a 6-0 record, Sabalenka is set to play Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in the second round. The 22-year-old Spaniard won her debut match against Great Britain’s Sonay Kartal, 6-1, 7-6(5).
Aryna Sabalenka stays perfect at the start of the Australian Open
Aryna Sabalenka started her Australian Open title defense with a strong win on Sunday. The World No. 1 defeated Sloane Stephens 6-3, 6-2 in the first round. Sabalenka, the current champion of the Australian Open and US Open, extended her winning streak in hard-court Grand Slams to 15 matches. She has an incredible 28-1 record on hard courts in majors since 2023, with her only loss being to Coco Gauff in the 2023 US Open final.
This year in Melbourne, Sabalenka is aiming for her third consecutive Australian Open title. The last woman to achieve this was Martina Hingis, who won three titles in a row from 1997 to 1999. Sabalenka hopes to join this rare group by maintaining her winning form.
For the first time, Sabalenka is the top seed at a Grand Slam. She also aims to become the first No. 1 seed to win the Australian Open women’s singles title since Ashleigh Barty in 2022. This adds extra pressure, but her recent success makes her a favorite.
In her match against Stephens, Sabalenka started with a quick 3-0 lead in just seven minutes. Stephens fought back and leveled the score at 4-3, but Sabalenka’s strong returns overwhelmed her. Sabalenka sealed the win confidently, continuing her quest for another title.
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Fahad Hamid
(622 Articles Published)