Aryna Sabalenka at the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championship 2023.

Transcript

00:00Does it feel like you're undefeated this year, or do you not feel it that much?

00:04I mean, it's only two tournaments for me. It's been only two tournaments, and it's many weeks to go.

00:10It's good that I didn't lose much in Australia, but right now we're in Dubai.

00:15I don't know if it's going to be the same, but I'm doing my best to keep improving, keep winning.

00:24You won in Abu Dhabi when it was that one tournament, right?

00:29Yes.

00:30And you won Doha before?

00:31Yes.

00:32So, do you want to finish the hat trick?

00:35Yeah, actually it would be really cool to win Dubai.

00:38Are the conditions similar, or is it different here?

00:41I mean, this year is different because they changed the balls, and the surface is new.

00:47So it's different than it was last year, and I really like it more, because last year it was super fast.

00:52The balls were flying, and right now I feel like I have more chance to do well in this tournament just because of these changes.

00:59This is such a strong field. Do you think this has motivated you to perform and keep your winning run in Dubai?

01:07Let's say that again.

01:10This is almost like a Grand Slam, a very strong field. We have 17 of the top 20.

01:15So that way, is it motivating you to get your first Dubai victory?

01:20Because you said it motivates you when you want to.

01:23I mean, the draw is really strong here, and I like this tournament, I like this city.

01:29Of course I want to win this tournament, but I know that there is a lot of matches ahead, a lot of tough matches ahead.

01:38So I have to work hard, and if I win this tournament, it will be really great.

01:45And yeah, I would like to win this one.

01:48Speaking of the draw, the players here, are there any players that you would pick and say,

01:54these are going to be my toughest competition going into the tournament?

01:58I'm not looking at the draw that far, I'm just taking it step by step.

02:02Because sometimes you look far in the draw, and then you're losing in the first match,

02:07because you're already thinking about your semi-final match or whatever.

02:10So I'm just trying to take it step by step, because each opponent is really tough.

02:15I think tennis has improved a lot, and if you see in the draw, number 1 playing against number 30,

02:23it doesn't say anything. Anyone can beat anyone, so I'm just taking it step by step.

02:28You spoke of the realization after the Australian Open, and you said, wow, I really did this.

02:34Is that the mentality of not looking too much into numbers, or not looking too much into opponents?

02:39Is that something you carry for the rest of the season?

02:42Yeah, I would like to just focus on myself, because I think the only thing why I won Australian Open,

02:52it's just because I was focusing on myself, and I didn't really think about all the expectations,

02:59all the things happening around, and this is Grand Slam, and all this stuff.

03:02I was just focusing on myself. I was just telling myself that I have to bring my level on court,

03:09and I have a lot of chances to win the match, so I'll just try to focus on myself.