Sabalenka: "What happened in last year's final here was.."

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She knows what it's like to win at the Magic Box and wants to do it again. Aryna Sabalenka arrives at this Mutua Madrid Open 2025 with renewed energy, fully aware that she is the top favorite for the title. The defeat in Stuttgart against Ostapenko has not diminished the confidence of a woman who addressed several interesting topics in her pre-tournament press conference.

Absolute dominator of the tennis world, Aryna Sabalenka will vigorously seek a new title at the Mutua Madrid Open 2025, where she stands as the top favorite. With Swiatek in a low phase and herself full of confidence, the Belarusian is clear that she must take a step further in her progression on clay courts this season, with this event being the ideal setting to build upon. Her press conference was filled with insightful reflections on various matters.

- Feelings upon returning to Madrid

"I’m very excited to be here; it's a tournament where I've always felt very comfortable. I've tried never to think about the final from last year, but being back here, it's inevitable to recall it. The truth is it was an impressive spectacle, and I proved to myself that I can play at a very high level on clay. Losing that match was very upsetting for me, but I feel honored to have been part of such a duel," she commented.

- One-week or two-week tournaments? Automatic line calls on clay or not?

Two topics that have been debated recently were brought up in the world number 1's press appearance, where she made her positions clear. "I prefer two-week tournaments because having a rest day between matches allows you to be more relaxed, go out to dinner with your team, and explore the city. Perhaps in a few years, I may not be so interested in that and prefer to spend more time at home, but right now, that's my mindset. Regarding line calls, I always prefer automatic because there are situations where chair umpires could make mistakes since visible marks don’t always match the reality due to the ball's trajectory and speed," she explained.

- Challenge of improving on clay

"Playing on clay gives you extra time to hit. Historically, this has led to confusion for me; many ideas come to mind, and mistakes are made. You need to be physically prepared, but above all, have good tactical intelligence. I think this surface is the one that best allows improvement in all aspects of the game," she affirmed.

- Maximum caution to avoid contaminations with doping substances

"I am much more cautious and aware of the dangers since the recent cases we all know about have emerged. I only drink and eat things that I have been able to control to the maximum and that my team provides me, and I am very careful about who I associate with, who I touch, and so on. Someone could have a cream with a banned substance and it could transfer to my body, so... Yes, it's quite scary, but that's how things are," said an excited Aryna Sabalenka about her journey at the Mutua Madrid Open 2025.

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