DUBAI: Aryna Sabalenka says her maiden Grand Slam triumph at the Australian Open last month has further fueled her hunger for success, as she looks to add more silverware to her cabinet.
The world No.2 is undefeated so far in 2023, having won both tournaments she has contested to accrue a perfect 11-0 record. Sabalenka will put her winning streak on the line in Dubai this week, where she will make her first on-court appearance since lifting the trophy in Melbourne with victory over Elena Rybakina in the final three weeks ago.
The 24-year-old Belarusian admits it took her some time to fully realize she has become a Grand Slam champion but has no intention of slowing down. “I couldn’t believe it in the beginning.
Then for the next week I was like, ‘Oh, my God, I did it. Yes, it happened’,” Sabalenka told reporters in Dubai on Sunday. “I was having this conversation in my head that, ‘Wow, that happened’.