Aryna Sabalenka: After Australian Open win, world No. 2 outlines French Open ambitions in Stuttgart

Aryna Sabalenka hopes winning her maiden Grand Slam title at the Australian Open will help her make a charge at the French Open for the first time next month. Sabalenka made her major breakthrough in Melbourne, beating Elena Ryabkina to lift the title having lost in three previous Grand Slam semi-finals. Ad She has now gone deep at every Grand Slam except for the French Open, where she has lost in the third round for the last three years in a row.

WTA Stuttgart‘I am ready’ – Swiatek eager to bounce back from injury woesAN HOUR AGO That is something the world No. 2 is aiming to put right this year. «I really want to be in the second week of the French Open,» Sabalenka said ahead of playing her opening match at the Porsche Tennis Grand Prix in Stuttgart.

«I would say I was just struggling with the Grand Slams before, and it was more about me really wanting to win a Grand Slam and me getting really crazy on matches than something about the clay. “Because [the] clay is good there, and it's one of the best clay courts there.» Sabalenka, who is 20-3 for the season, has become a more accomplished clay-court player in recent years. She won the Madrid Open in 2021 and last year made the final in Stuttgart and semi-finals of the Italian Open, losing to world No.

1 Iga Swiatek on both occasions. She was also runner-up in Stuttgart in 2021. «I never say that clay is not one of my favourite surfaces,» said Sabalenka.

«Actually, I really enjoy playing on clay. I really enjoy [the] extra time. I had good results on clay courts.

»I practiced a few days on this surface, and I felt good on this court. I feel comfortable playing on this court. We'll see by the end of this week if it's good or not." Raducanu beaten by Ostapenko in Stuttgart