No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeSportSabalenka Says "My best match ever," after Australian Open Win

Sabalenka Says “My best match ever,” after Australian Open Win

Flamboyant winner of her first Grand Slam, Belarusian Aryna Sabalenka considered that she had played her “best match” in the Australian Open final against Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina who “played unbelievable tennis”.

“I think it’s really my best match. She played unbelievable tennis. I fought so hard to get this tournament….. I think the tennis was great. I’m very happy that it wasn’t an easy match. I really enjoyed this battle,” she said at a press conference, a glass of champagne in hand.

The 24-year-old Belarusian beat the reigning Wimbledon champion 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to climb from number five to number two in the WTA rankings after winning her first Grand Slam final.

However, the previous road was not easy for this natural wonder, who conceded painful defeats in the semifinals of Wimbledon in 2021 and the 2021 and 2022 U.S. Open.

“I think it’s more enjoyable now after those tough matches. Now I feel like I needed those tough defeats to understand myself a little bit better,” she said.

“It was like a preparation for me. I’m actually glad that I lost those matches to now be a different player, a different Aryna,” she added.

The trophy ceremony was atypical, with no flag or anthem, as Russian and Belarusian tennis players are not allowed to compete representing their countries following the invasion of Ukraine.

“I think everyone knows I’m a Belarusian player,” she said, not wanting to make a big deal out of it.

With a Grand Slam title under her arm, now it’s time to celebrate with “a good pizza and lots of sweets.”

But the new Aryna, soon to be No. 2 in the ranking, warns that she wants more: “All tennis players have more or less the same goals. Winning a Grand Slam, of course, is not the last on the list.”

Trending Now

Cost of living in Costa Rica from a U.S. Expat

Paradise doesn’t come cheap. Cars, gas, appliances, phones, TVs often cost more in Costa Rica. But not everything. Here’s a simple, like-for-like look at...

Riu Guanacaste Hotel Reopens in Costa Rica After Renovation

The Riu Guanacaste hotel in Costa Rica has reopened after a complete renovation, welcoming guests back to its beachfront spot on Matapalo Beach. The...

Celebrate 128 Years of Costa Rica’s National Theater

The National Theater turns 128 this month, and starting Sunday, October 12, it opens its doors for a week of events that mix music,...

Guatemala Joins Costa Rica and Ecuador in Building Anti-Gang Prisons

The Guatemalan government has put forward a new bill aimed at hitting gangs harder, with steeper sentences and a dedicated high-security prison, as the...

Costa Rica Nominates Rebeca Grynspan for UN Secretary-General Role

Costa Rica has put forward Rebeca Grynspan as its candidate for United Nations secretary-general, a move that highlights the nation's push for stronger Latin...

White House Calls Nobel Prize to Venezuelan Machado ‘Politics Over Peace’

The Norwegian Nobel Committee handed the 2025 Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado on Friday, sparking sharp words from the White...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica