‘I’m Trying to Stay Positive No Matter What’

By Chris Oddo | @TheFanChild | Thursday June 8, 2023

Heartbreak is part of tennis, and Aryna Sabalenka has learned that lesson many times over the course of her career.

On Thursday in Paris, after squandering a match point and a 5-2 lead in the final set to Karolina Muchova, she felt it again, but the 25-year-old vowed not to let it keep her down.

“I mean, of course you’re always facing some challenges, and I definitely have to learn something from this match and come back stronger,” Sabalenka told reporters.

After winning her maiden major in 2023, and claiming three titles as she compiled a 34-6 record, Sabalenka made a point of patting herself on the back for a job well done this season despite Thursday’s gutwrenching loss.

She also took positives from the fact that she reached the semifinals for the first time in Paris this year – she had never been beyond the third round previously.

“I think what I [have been] doing and hopefully I will keep doing it this season, that’s incredible, just next level,” she said. “I don’t look at this tournament as negative tournament. I think I did great improvement on the clay court, and it’s my best result here.”

Rather that hang her head after going off the boil and losing 20 of the final 24 points to Muchova, Sabalenka flashed a smile in her post match press conference as she looked ahead to getting back on the horse.

“Right now I’m trying to stay positive no matter what happened on court,” she said. “Anyway, whatever, I’ll come back stronger. It’s tough match, but I had so many opportunities, but still, I would like to look at this tournament as a positive tournament.”