Aryna Sabalenka plays down chase for World No.1 ranking ahead of US Open
Aug 26, 2023
New York [US], August 26 : The Battle for the World No.1 moves to the US Open where, once again, top-ranked Iga Swiatek will try to hold off No.2 Aryna Sabalenka for the top spot.
Over the past few months, Sabalenka has been perilously near to passing Swiatek. In the French Open semifinals, she faced Karolina Muchova on match point, and a victory over Swiatek in the championship match would have sent her to No. 1. She was then two games away from being ranked No. 1 before losing to Ons Jabeur in the semifinals at Wimbledon.
Sabalenka will open her tournament campaign against Belgium's Maryna Zanevska in the first round on Tuesday.
Sabalenka claims that she isn't allowing the race for No. 1 to distract her as she gets ready for the final Slam of the year.
"I don't need to push it on the side because this is not something I'm really thinking during the tournament, during the matches. I know that I had and probably I have the opportunity to become World No.1, but there is still a lot of job to be done. I'm focusing on myself more than on the ranking," Sabalenka told reporters at US Open Media Day.
"I know that if I'll bring my best tennis, if I'll do my best, I know that I'm able to do that. I'm trying to shift my focus more on myself, on my game, on improving myself more," she added.
Twelve months ago, Sabalenka and Swiatek faced off in the US Open semifinals. Sabalenka led by a break in the third set before Swiatek scripted a comeback to win 3-6, 6-1, 6-4. She went on to win her second major of the year and first on hard courts.
"Winning tough matches, losing tough matches, what I learned in the past [is] all these matches, you're not losing them, you're learning to become stronger," Sabalenka said. "I know that in the future these tough losses will help me to win some great matches. That's why I have this short memory. Okay, I lost, The lesson is learned, and it's time to move on. I know this match will help me in the future," she said.
Sabalenka finally made it this year, winning the Australian Open in January to claim her first Slam championship. Since then, she has only claimed one championship, in Madrid, but she has consistently appeared in the final stages of almost every competition. In eight of her thirteen events this year, she has advanced to the semifinals or better. Only Swiatek, who has advanced to the final four in 10 of her 13 events, has a better record.
