Aryna Sabalenka rejected a request to do an ‘open’ press conference after her third round win at Roland Garros.
The Australian Open cruised into the second week in Paris after a 6-2 6-2 thumping of Kamilla Rakhimova.
It means Sabalenka is into the last 16 at Roland Garros for the first time in her career having not dropped a set this week.
Sabalenka admitted to the small amount of journalists there that this win will give her more belief in Paris, “I don’t know actually. If something happened to you once, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen one more time,” Sabalenka said when talking about her third round barrier at Roland Garros.
“So I prefer to focus on myself, on things I can control. Of course, this win gave me so much belief in myself here in Paris, so I know that on the next match I will go there and do everything I can to win another match. Yeah, definitely this win give me somewhat belief.”
Sabalenka will hope her belief will take her to a second Grand Slam title in Paris this week.
However most of the news surrounding Sabalenka has been off the court with the world number two having an intense confrontation with a journalist in her last press conference.
This is a journalist asked Sabalenka about Belarus’ regime and it’s links to war in Ukraine.
Sabalenka refused to answer the series of questions with the journalist being unable to gain an answer from the press conference.
That latest line of questioning resulted in Sabalenka holding a interview with only a few journalists today rather than an ‘open’ press conference.
Starting the interview Sabalenka admitted she did not feel safe in the press conference room on Wednesday and took the decision to protect her mental health, “Yeah, after my match I spoke with the media like I normally do. I know they still expect some questions that are more about the politics and not so much about my tennis,” Sabalenka opened up by saying.
“For many months now I have answered these questions at tournaments and been very clear in my feelings and my thoughts. These questions do not bother me after my matches. I know that I have to provide answers to the
media on things not related to my tennis or my matches, but on Wednesday I did not feel safe in press conference.
“I should be able to feel safe when I do interviews with the journalists after my matches. For my own mental health and well-being, I have decided to take myself out of this situation today, and the tournament has supported me in this decision. It hasn’t been an easy few days, and now my focus is
continue to play well here in Paris.”
It will be interesting to see how the situation evolves as the war in Ukraine continues to escalate.
As for Sabalenka, she will hope to focus on the tennis on court as she takes on Sloane Stephens on Sunday for a place in the quarter-finals.
