Sabalenka explains why she does not want to train on the Bernabéu courts

Pedro de Pablos | 23 Apr 2026 | 19.23

Sabalenka explains why she doesn't want to train on the Bernabéu courts

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Aryna Sabalenka struggled in her debut against Peyton Stearns at the Mutua Madrid Open 2026, coming back from a break down in each set to secure her spot in the second round. At the end of the match, the world number one talked about the possibility of training on the new courts installed at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, and why she prefers to avoid it as much as possible.

Sabalenka is less than 2,000 points away from Elena Rybakina in the rankings and is defending her title in Madrid. According to her own revelation, the court conditions at the Real Madrid stadium are completely different from those at the Caja Mágica, which is why she prefers to train at the tournament facilities to better adapt for her upcoming matches. As the queen of the WTA circuit, she may have to compromise someday, but if it were up to her, it wouldn't be that way.

Press Conference of Aryna Sabalenka after her debut victory at the Mutua Madrid Open 2026

Debut against Stearns

I'm glad to get the win. Maybe it wasn't pretty, but at the end of the match, I felt much better on the court, so I hope to bring better tennis in the next match. It wasn't easy. I did my hard work before coming here, but the attitude, the sport, and the match were not easy. But as I said, I'm glad to have the victory.

Support from the public in Madrid

I'm very excited to be back in Madrid. I always have a lot of support, a lot of love. I think it's all because of my friendship with Paula. Everything works out. I really enjoy playing in front of them. I hope I can deliver my best level so that people enjoy it, and that the next round is better.

Training at the Santiago Bernabéu

I was a bit confused. I wish they would do it before the tournament, but now I feel like the surface is going to be a bit different compared to the Caja Mágica. Also, it's a huge stadium, so everything is covered. I would like to focus on tennis and not on those things. Also, I would like them to do it before or after the tournament if they are going to maintain the sport there. It's a unique experience.

Non-tennis activities in Madrid

I still have a bit of time, maybe for dinner tonight. I'm just going to spend time with Paula. I'll support her. She's my only thought for what's happening right now, so I'm just going to spend time with Paula. Maybe we'll stay at the hotel and have dinner there.

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Sabalenka explica por qué no quiere entrenar en las pistas del Bernabéu