Aryna Sabalenka has mortgaged the victory of the Purple Group and the semifinals of the WTA Finals in Riyadh. The Belarusian tennis player defeated Jasmine Paolini in straight sets for 6-3, 7-5 and had the merit of not losing her calm in the most complicated moment of the match. The 26-year-old in fact conceded a set point to the Italian at 4-5 but shefound an incredible cross-court backhand.
ADVERTISEMENT
At the press conference, the new number 1 of women's tennis shared a beautiful message for her team, explaining that the goal of WTA No.1 is a milestone achieved by every member of the team.
"I am proud of what I am achieving, but not only for me: also for my team. Together we have overcome many obstacles to be in this position and express high-level tennis. Being number 1 is not only about me, but it is about the team and all the work that is behind it. I appreciate every day and now that they have invested in my career, it is something that motivates me a lot," she explained.
The Belarusian was very sporty at the end of the match and spent words of great admiration towards Paolini, explaining: "The match was really tough, not only the last part. Jasmine is a great player, she constantly puts pressure on you and moves very well. Also, she serves much better than people think. As I said before, Jasmine is a great player. For me it is an important victory, I am very happy with my performance, especially the way I avoided the third set. The match would have become even more complicated. At that moment I tried to stay aggressive and not lose my calm. Somehow I had to win in two sets. In those moments it is inevitable to think about the possibility of going to the third. I only thought about fighting for every point. I am happy with the shot I played on the set point offered at 4-5, it allowed me to win a fundamental match."
