The Belarusian, who qualified for the quarterfinals of the US Open, revealed what she does to stay mentally healthy
A victory that leaves no doubt: Aryna Sabalenka is the favorite to win the US Open. The Belarusian beat Elise Mertens in straight sets (6-2 6-4), demonstrating that on hard-courts she is currently the tennis player to beat.
At the press conference following the match, the Belarusian tennis player analyzed her victory, also focusing on the mental-health issue, giving a wise trick on how to improve one’s mental health. Aryna revealed that her best advice is to surround yourself with good people.
“When you feel all the support, when you feel like your back is covered, that’s the main thing. You know that whatever happens in your life you have people that are going to support you, that are going to stand by you and that are going to be there with you. I think that’s the most important part. You know that whatever happens in your life you have people that are going to support you, that are going to stand by you and that are going to be there with you. I can’t think of anything right now, but I would definitely say that the main thing to stay mentally healthy is to be surrounded by the right people, you know?
Another trick is to try to have fun. You know, enjoy the journey. I know it’s easy and it’s not easy at the same time. I think everything comes with experience. With all these tough losses, with all these tough lessons and big wins, everything comes with experience. You try hard on the court. You fight for it, but then you have like in the big tournaments, you have a day off. So you have to enjoy that day. You have to separate yourself completely from tennis. Sure, you enjoy your practice session, but after, like, go to dinner, enjoy your free time, you know, and try not to, like, try not to think. Anyway, the thinking will be there, but just try to enjoy life,” she explained.
Previously, in the on-court interview, the Belarusian had commented on her match, focusing on her shots.
“I saw my forehand stats and I can’t believe it’s so fast. I even felt a little bit uncomfortable being on top and hitting harder than the others. It’s a really interesting statistic. Why do I perform better on hard-courts? Definitely because of the speed of the court. The game is much faster. Probably the rallies are a little bit shorter. Hard courts help my serve a lot. A lot of advantages. But let’s not forget that I can play well on clay and grass courts as well,” she analyzed.
In the quarterfinal of the Flushing Meadows Major, Aryna will meet the Chinese Qunwen Zheng.
