Sabalenka surprised by the question about Świątek. “Like you said?”

– Like you said? “A person who becomes bigger than me?” – this is how Aryna Sabalenka reacted when one of the journalists asked about her attitude before Roland Garros, a tournament dominated by Iga Świątek in recent years. On Friday in Paris, both the runner-up and the leader of the world ranking met with journalists at press conferences.

Sabalenka was first. She arrived at the media center at Roland Garros at 1 p.m. (Christmas an hour after). And at a short conference she answered journalists’ questions.

– For years, tennis players have had to deal with the fact that there is Rafael Nadal, someone who in a sense separated himself from the rest. Now tennis players are in a somewhat similar situation to what Iga Świątek has been doing in recent years – this is how one of the journalists began his question to Sabalenka.

After a while, he added that the world number two knew the world number one very well, especially this spring. This was an obvious reference to the recent tournament finals in Madrid and Rome , where Sabalenka lost to Świątek. – Do you come to this tournament wanting to win and expecting to win? How do you mentally know that there is someone [next to you] who is getting bigger and bigger here every year? – Sabalenka finally heard. And she was very surprised.

Sabalenka about Świątek: She is bigger than me

– How did you finish? The person who becomes bigger than me? – she asked. – No, a person who gets bigger and bigger here every year. “No bigger than you,” the journalist replied calmly. And then Sabalenka reacted really humbly. – She is bigger than me – said the Belarusian about Iga Świątek. – And the answer to the question is simply not to focus on it and just focus on yourself, on your goals and on the things that I need to improve, – she added.

This was not the end of Sabalenka’s courtesy comments about Świątek. – She achieved amazing results here on Roland , so I treat it as a challenge to be better than her here. I like taking on difficult challenges. This motivates me and gives me energy, said the WTA ranking runner-up.

Sabalenka and Świątek have already faced each other 11 times. Poles won as many as eight of these matches . Including the last three – in November in Cancun as part of the WTA Finals and in May in Madrid and Rome in the finals of two “thousanders” on clay.

In Paris 3:0 for Świątek, and in Grand Slam titles 4:2

Roland Garros, whose main tournament starts on Sunday, is the most prestigious event played on clay courts. Świątek has already won this Grand Slam competition three times – in 2020, 2022 and 2023. The furthest Sabalenka reached was the semi-finals – last year. In total, Świątek has four Grand Slam titles (three Roland Garros + US Open), and Sabalenka – two (she won the Australian Open twice).

In the first round of Roland Garros, Iga will play against a qualifier or a lucky loser, and Aryna will play against Erika Andreeva. A possible duel between Świątek and Sabalenka is only possible in the final.

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