'Fully recovered' Aryna Sabalenka admits Australian Open final defeat to Madison Keys was on her mind 'for a week'
Updated 09/02/2025 at 17:48 GMT
Aryna Sabalenka has had time to reflect after losing in the Australian Open final and missing out on a third successive title in Melbourne. The Belarusian cut a frustrated figure in her three-set defeat to Madison Keys, and she has revealed the match played on her mind in the following days. But Sabalenka has insisted she is now ready to get back on track, beginning with the Qatar Open.
Watch memorable moment Keys wins first Grand Slam as Sabalenka smashes racquet
Video credit: TNT Sports
Aryna Sabalenka has admitted her defeat to Madison Keys in the Australian Open was difficult to shake off.
The world No. 1, who won the Grand Slam in 2024 without dropping a single set, was unexpectedly beaten by American Keys in Melbourne.
And she has spoken about the challenge of putting such a disappointing defeat behind her, with expectations high in the build-up to last month's tournament.
"This one was the toughest one. I think for a week I was still thinking about that match," Sabalenka said in Doha ahead of the Qatar Open.
"Honestly, looking back and thinking about those two lost games [in the final set], I didn't do anything wrong, she just played out of her mind, and it was her day - there's nothing to regret.
"I think right now I'm fully recovered after that tough match."
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Women’s Top 10 Shots at Australian Open featuring finalists Keys and Sabalenka
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Belarusian will hope to bounce back in Qatar at the first WTA 1000 event of the season, before heading to Dubai later this month.
Attention will then turn to the Sunshine Double - the Indian Wells Open and Miami Open - in the US.
"The schedule is actually pretty tough, especially if you make it to the last stage of the Australian Open, then you don't have much time to recover and prepare yourself for these big events," Sabalenka added.
"I believe I'll just take these two tournaments as preparation for the Sunshine one, and I'll try to build my tennis, and probably take my tennis to the next level in these two events."
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Sabalenka did not take part in last week's Abu Dhabi Open, which was won by Belinda Bencic, just 10 months after she gave birth to her daughter.
"That's impressive, honestly," Sabalenka said of Bencic's success. "She just came back. I think [at the] Australian Open she had a great run [to the fourth round] and now she's holding the trophy.
"It's amazing, I'm super happy for her, she definitely deserved that.
"As she said, she worked really hard for that, and it's good to see. It gives us hope that probably, whenever we’re all going to go for babies, we have a chance to come back if we want to."
Sabalenka will play either Emma Raducanu or Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova in the last 32 of the Qatar Open.
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