(Paris) Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka admitted to being “exhausted” physically and mentally on Thursday after her elimination in the semi-finals at Roland-Garros, but admitted to being “looking forward” to returning to Wimbledon where she had been banned from participating in the last year like all the other Russian and Belarusian players.
“I’m really exhausted right now. But I think it’s only because I lost that game. And it’s normal to feel exhausted after two weeks of non-stop tennis on clay, “said the world No.2, beaten by the Czech Karolina Muchova (43e) 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (5/7), 7-5.
“I don’t see this tournament as negative, I made huge progress on clay, this is my best result here, I try to stay positive despite everything, I want to keep a positive outlook on this tournament”, she added.
Sabalenka, winner of the Australian Open in January, had never passed the third round in Paris.
“It’s been a great two weeks, emotionally challenging, but I got through it and I think it’s going to make me stronger,” she insisted.
She was particularly put in difficulty at a press conference by pressing questions about the war in Ukraine and her links with the authoritarian President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, an ally of Moscow. She had been allowed to miss two mandatory post-victory press conferences.
Re-questioned on this subject on Thursday, she refused to answer: “I do not want to talk about politics, I have already said everything I had to say,” she replied.
On the court, she felt “good” and ready to fight “on all the chances that presented themselves”.
So if she lost, it was because she faced an opponent who produced “incredible” tennis.
Thus, she served for the match at 5-2, but Muchova then “raised her level”.
“She started to play more aggressively and I lost my rhythm and I was no longer there,” she analyzed.
“What I have done so far this season is incredible and I hope to continue like this,” she added.
And in particular, on the grass of Wimbledon since she announced with happiness that she had received her visa for the United Kingdom where the Major will take place on grass from July 3 to 16.
” I’m really looking forward. I really like playing Wimbledon. I love the atmosphere there. I really missed Wimbledon last year. I can’t wait to go back and play my best tennis there,” she said.
In 2021, she had reached the semi-finals on the London lawn.