Aryna Sabalenka Moves On from Australian Open Defeat, Focuses on Middle East Swing

Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked tennis player, has shown resilience as she shifts her focus following her Australian Open final defeat to Madison Keys. The 26-year-old Belarusian is now competing in the Qatar Open, marking her return to the WTA Tour after a tough match.

Reflecting on the Australian Open Final

At the Australian Open, Sabalenka aimed for her third consecutive title but fell short with a three-set loss to Keys. Despite the setback, Sabalenka maintains a positive outlook.

“This one was the toughest one. For a week, I was still thinking about that match,” she admitted in Doha. “Honestly, looking back and thinking about those two lost games, I didn’t do anything wrong. She just played out of her mind, and it was her day. There’s nothing to regret. I think right now, I’m fully recovered after that tough match.”

The Middle East Swing: Qatar Open and Dubai

Sabalenka is making her comeback at the Qatar Open, the first WTA 1000 event of the season. The tournament kicked off on Sunday, drawing attention from top players. After Qatar, the circuit moves to Dubai for another prestigious WTA 1000 event.

A Warm-up for the Sunshine Doubles

Sabalenka sees the Qatar Open and Dubai as excellent preparation for the Sunshine Doubles in Indian Wells and Miami. Acknowledging the challenging schedule, she aims to use these tournaments to build her game.

“The schedule is pretty tough, especially if you make it to the last stage of the Australian Open, then you don’t have much time to recover and prepare yourself for these big events,” Sabalenka explained. “I’ll take these two tournaments as preparation and try to build my tennis to the next level in these events.”

Belinda Bencic’s Inspiring Comeback in Abu Dhabi

The Middle East swing featured another remarkable story with Belinda Bencic winning her first title in Abu Dhabi, just under 10 months after giving birth to her daughter Bella. Sabalenka praised Bencic’s effort and congratulated her on the milestone.

“That’s impressive, honestly. She just came back, I think Australian Open she had a great run (to the fourth round), and now she’s holding the trophy. It’s amazing, I’m super happy for her, she definitely deserved that,” Sabalenka said.

Sabalenka added with a laugh, “It gives us hope that probably, whenever we’re all going to go for babies, we have a chance to come back if we want to.”

Qatar Open Lineup and Expected Challenges

With a bye in the opening round, Sabalenka’s first match will be against either British wildcard Emma Raducanu or Russia’s Ekaterina Alexandrova. Meanwhile, second seed Iga Swiatek, who has won the last three editions of the tournament, faces Romanian qualifier Elena-Gabriela Ruse or former top-five player Maria Sakkari in round two. Swiatek arrives on a 12-match winning streak in Qatar.

Conclusion

Aryna Sabalenka’s positive outlook and determination set the stage for an exciting Middle East swing. As she navigates the challenges of the tight schedule, her experience and resilience will be key. Fans can look forward to seeing how Sabalenka and other top players perform in these prestigious WTA 1000 events.

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