“I don’t care about outside things,” Russia-Ukraine struggle takes a backseat as Aryna Sabalenka focuses on Dayana Yastremska’s on-court show of decorum ahead of the Australian Open finals

Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, Sabakenka said she only cares about tennis and not about the outside noise related to the war.

“I don’t care about outside things,” Russia-Ukraine struggle takes a backseat as Aryna Sabalenka focuses on Dayana Yastremska’s on-court show of decorum ahead of the Australian Open finals

Aryna Sabalenka, Dayana Yastremska (Images via X)

Belarus’s Aryna Sabalenka will be playing her third Grand Slam final on Saturday (January 27), when she will lock horns with China’s Qinwen Zheng at the Rod Laver Arena. Sabalenka stunned the USA’s Coco Gauff in the semifinals 7-6 (7-2) to book the final berth at the Australian Open.

The defending champion, at the press conference, talked about the possibility of facing Ukraine’s Dayana Yastremska. Amid the Russia-Ukraine war, Sabakenka said she only cares about tennis and not about the outside noise related to the war.

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For the uninitiated, the Ukrainian players are not shaking hands with the Russians and Belarusians. Sabalenka said that although she is only focusing on her tennis, she does respect the no-handshake decisions of the Ukrainian players

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I played a lot against Yastremska. Great player, and a fighter. I don't care about outside things. I know she respects me as a player. I don't care about the rest. I'm ready to play a tennis match. Well, I respect their choice there. I just respect their choice, you know.
Sabalenka said at the press conference

A journalist pointed out that if Yastremska reaches the final, how will it be an unusual situation at the Grand Slam final if there are no pictures of a handshake? The Belarusian said she was ready to do anything.

If it helps them, if it's something they need, I'm happy with that. I don't care. It's a Grand Slam final, you know, like, I'm going to go there and do my best. If it's Yastremska or Zheng, doesn't matter. It's about tennis. It's not about something else, you know.
Sabalenka said in response

Aryna Sabalenka vs. Qinwen Zheng head-to-head stats

So there will be no awkward moment in the final between the Belarusian and a Ukrainian player, as Dayana Yastremska got knocked out of the tournament by Qinwen Zheng, who won in straight sets with a scoreline of 6-4, 6-4.

Aryna sabalenka
Qinwen Zheng, Aryna Sabalenka (Images via X)

Both of them were playing their first semifinal at a Grand Slam event and now, the Chinese has progressed into her first major final.

Sabalenka has faced the Chinese youngster once and won the match as well. They squared off against each other at the 2023 US Open quarterfinal, where the 25-year-old won in straight sets (6-1, 6-4) comfortably.

Sabalenka’s semifinal match against Coco Gauff was expected to be a thriller. But apart from the first set, where they played a tiebreak, Gauff failed to secure the second set, easily losing with a 6-4. And now Sabalenka has inched closer to her second Australian Open trophy.

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