Aryna Sabalenka Speaks Out on Tennis Schedule and Injury Prevention
Aryna Sabalenka, the world’s top-ranked woman in tennis, has expressed her concerns about the grueling tennis schedule, describing it as “insane” and stating that she will risk fines in order to skip tournaments and avoid injuries or burnout. Despite her concerns, Sabalenka is happy to have as much competition as possible before the season-opening Grand Slam in Australia.
Sabalenka recently beat Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-3 in the Brisbane International, moving into the quarterfinals where she will face fifth-seeded Madison Keys. This match will be a highly anticipated one, as it comes almost a year after Sabalenka lost to Keys in the Australian Open final. When asked about managing her schedule like Serena Williams, Sabalenka noted that the rules have changed, and players are now fined with points if they don’t play enough 500-level events.
According to Sabalenka, the current rules are “quite tricky” with mandatory events, but she still plans to skip some events to protect her body. She stated, “Even though the results were really consistent, but some of the tournaments I had been playing completely sick or I’ve been really exhausted from overplaying.” Sabalenka aims to manage her schedule better this season to avoid injuries and burnout.
Strong Draw in Brisbane
Despite criticizing the season length, Sabalenka believes that the strong draw in Brisbane makes it an ideal warm-up for the Australian Open. She said, “By having [so] many top players you have in the draw, it definitely helps to prepare better for the Australian Open.” Sabalenka enjoys challenging herself and having great battles, especially before a Grand Slam.
Madison Keys, Sabalenka’s next opponent, came back from a set and a break down to beat 12th-seeded Diana Shnaider 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) on Thursday. Keys, who had her left leg heavily taped, is looking for plenty of time on court before her title defense at the Australian Open. She stated, “Always good to start the year with a little bit of drama. Glad we got that out of the way.”
Upcoming Match
Sabalenka considers her quarterfinal match against Keys as an opportunity to improve her game rather than a chance for revenge. She said, “It’s going to be, as always, a great battle, really aggressive tennis. I’m excited to face her.” The winner will advance to a semifinal against third-seeded Elena Rybakina or No. 11 Karolina Muchova.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. For more information on the Brisbane International and the Australian Open, visit the official WTA website or ESPN for the latest news and updates.
