Aryna Sabalenka says she is happy that her first Grand Slam title came at the age of 24, as she would likely struggle for years with her results if it happened at the age of 18. After her triumph at the Australian Open, Sabalenka reached the quarterfinals in Dubai in her next tournament.
On Tuesday, Sabalenka defeated 2021 French Open champion Barbora Krejcikova in the Indian Wells Round of 16. Some players tend to suffer from “a Grand Slam hangover” after their first major title, but Sabalenka has been playing well since winning the Australian Open.
“Well, I’m really happy to have won my first Grand Slam at that age, because I felt like if I was 18 to win the Grand Slam, then I would struggle for years. I kind of understand that, yes, it happened and it was my dream.
It was an incredible moment, but it was time to move on. It’s another tournament, it was not the only goal. That’s why for me it was not easy, but I understood that no matter what, I have to keep going, keep fighting and keep showing my best tennis if I want to keep winning.
So for me it wasn’t that difficult,” Sabalenka said.
Sabalenka on young players suffering ‘from a Grand Slam hangover’
Sabalenka, who turns 25 in May, has a lot of experience and that’s probably one of the main reasons why she was able to continue playing at a high level.
But some young players have to learn the hard way how to maintain the same level of play, form and motivation after a first Grand Slam victory. “It’s really tough, but I think they have to go through it, they just have to go through it.
Nothing will be easy. Yes, they won their first Grand Slam, which is amazing. They showed their best there. Yes, I think they have to go through, not a lot, but they have to go through a tough time to figure it out, no matter what they have to keep fighting.
No one is going to give it to them easily, so they have to work for it. Yes, I think it’s just a process. Either way, they’ll understand later,” Sabalenka said.