It was women’s semi-final night at Melbourne Park. Aryna Sabalenka defeated good friend Paula Badosa, and Madison Keys made it past Iga Świątek, in one of the matches of the tournament.
Let’s find out what they had to say in their press conferences.
Paula Badosa discussed just what it is that makes playing Sabalenka so hard.
"With Aryna, it's more like winners everywhere. Sometimes…I'm just walking around the court because I feel like she's playing a PlayStation. Today she was like that. So sometimes I'm like, ‘What's happening?’ I don't have time even to think," the Spaniard said.
But despite the loss, she is proud of how she’s comeback from an injury that almost saw her retire.
"Yeah, it's really, really positive. I mean, I wasn't expecting maybe improving or going so fast. I didn't check, but seeing the results of everyone, now I know I'm top-10, but I think the last months maybe it's top-5 of the players that have won most matches.
"For me that's insane, and it's an insane improvement, an insane improvement mentally, of believing, of coming back from that.
"Coming back from that, I'm really, really proud of the journey."
Aryna Sabalenka is vying for a third straight Australian Open title, and admitted she feels very comfortable here in Melbourne.
"I just feel like home. Like last year I thought, okay, I feel like home, I feel so good here, I feel all the support. This year I feel even more. I feel like I'm coming home to my home Slam. I know everything. I know every area. I know where to warm up so it's not that crowded," she said.
"I go there, and I feel like people screaming my name, they support me. I have goosebumps every time they scream, 'Let's go Aryna'. It's incredible to feel that support here."
Click here to watch live tennis on Stan Sport.
She also discussed the balance between tactics and instinct on the court,
"Whenever it's important moment, I just stay disciplined with the tactic.
"But I have to say that, honestly I feel like the tactic is in my head, but I follow the instincts most of the times. So it's kind of like a balance.
"Whenever I don't feel that my instincts are working, I get back to the tactic. Whenever I have feel like now it's time to trust myself more, I go for it. It's a balance you have to understand yourself really good to be able to manage this."
For Świątek, the disappointment was there, but she remained circumspect.
"I felt like I had my chance. I don't know what's going to happen in the future. Maybe I'll have more chances. I think I'm pretty spoiled in a way that I could always use these chances. When I had an opportunity to win, I always kind of win," the five-time major winner stated.
"Obviously it's disappointing when it doesn't happen, but this is sport, so it's not always going to go my way. Madison also really did the work as she should. She totally deserves to be in the final."
Keys was barely able to contain her joy at reaching the final.
"I think I'm still trying to come down and figure out where I am. But really proud of myself for being able to stay in that," said the 2017 US Open finalist.
"Obviously being up in the third and feeling like I was so close to the finish line, losing my serve, and then being able to just kind of stay as close as I could in that tiebreaker until the end, just really proud of myself for that match.
"I can't really put sentences together totally. It just kind of feels like everything is happening very quickly. I'm just kind of trying to figure out what's going on."
She also spoke about the challenge that Sabalenka will bring.
"I think what's really impressive is her mentality. I think her ability to kind of always go for it, no matter what the score is, is really impressive.
"I mean, she plays such fearless tennis. She has the ability to play so well that way. I think it's very unique. I think a lot of people, no matter what, even if it was a tight point, you kind of expect them to play a little bit more conservative or back down a little bit, and you know she's not going to do that.
"I think not only is that impressive on her side, but I think it puts a little bit more pressure on her opponents where you know you're always going to have to try to win the point because she's never going to just play passive and give you an easy point."
Check out the new EZONE 100 Tennis Racquet from Yonex for all players looking for electrifying blasts of power and ultimate comfort, engineered to playful perfection with a plush feel and an extra large sweet spot. For more information go to yonex.com/ezone
Comentários