DistantNews
Support us
🇹🇼 Taiwan /Sports

French Open: Top seed Sabalenka discusses mindset amid upsets, prefers night matches

From Liberty Times · () Chinese

Translated from Chinese, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources New plan
  • Top seed Aryna Sabalenka advanced to her 14th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating Naomi Osaka 7-5, 6-3.
  • Sabalenka, the only Grand Slam finalist remaining in the women's singles draw, stated she avoids overthinking amidst frequent upsets in the tournament.
  • The Belarusian expressed enjoyment of playing night matches and hopes for more such opportunities in future Grand Slams.

Top-seeded Aryna Sabalenka of Belarus secured her spot in a 14th consecutive Grand Slam quarterfinal by defeating Japan's Naomi Osaka with a 7-5, 6-3 victory. Sabalenka is now the sole player remaining in the women's singles draw who has previously reached a Grand Slam final.

Amidst a tournament marked by numerous upsets among seeded players, Sabalenka shared her mental approach to managing pressure. "I don't overthink things, I don't look at the rankings, I don't overthink what's going on off the court," she stated. Having competed on the tour for an extended period, she acknowledges the unpredictable nature of professional sports and focuses on giving her best effort in every match.

I don't overthink things, I don't look at the rankings, I don't overthink what's going on off the court. I've been playing on the tour for a long time, and in competitive sports, wins and losses are unpredictable. I just focus on myself, and when I get on the court, I give my all to fight for this championship.

— Aryna SabalenkaSabalenka explaining her mindset amidst the tournament's upsets.

Sabalenka also commented on the experience of playing a night match at Roland Garros, a rare occurrence for women's singles in this tournament. "I really enjoyed playing the night match, and honestly, I personally didn't feel angry about it. I really like playing day matches and then having a day and a half to rest. If you ask me if I want to play night matches more often, I would say yes, of course. Because I experienced that crazy atmosphere, it's really cool to play."

Her win propels her further into the tournament as she aims for her first French Open title, navigating a field that has seen many of the top contenders eliminated.

I really enjoyed playing the night match, and honestly, I personally didn't feel angry about it. I really like playing day matches and then having a day and a half to rest. If you ask me if I want to play night matches more often, I would say yes, of course. Because I experienced that crazy atmosphere, it's really cool to play.

— Aryna SabalenkaSabalenka on her experience playing a night match at the French Open.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Liberty Times in Chinese. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog