Aryna Sabalenka on Tuesday detailed her current tennis philosophy, with the three-time Cincinnati Open semi-finalist revealing she is quick to forget about her losses.
“Every week is a new tournament,” the two-time Australian Open champion said as she prepared for a second-round start after a bye at the Cincinnati Open, the last big test before the Aug. 26 start of the US Open.
“It’s good to have a short memory. That helps to keep things moving, and working hard and improving,” she said.
Photo: AFP
The third seed reached the semi-finals in Cincinnati at the previous two editions, as well as in 2018.
She is hoping to soon start improving that record as she comes back from the shoulder injury that forced her to skip Wimbledon.
“Every loss is extra motivation to work hard and improve things — just to keep going,” she said. “If you’re fighting every point, and giving all you have in practice and matches, you’ll have your opportunities. You just have to use them.”
Sabalenka said that her tennis also proves to be a welcome contrast to real life. The 25-year-old has been through the wringer over the years, losing her father, as well as a former boyfriend who fell to his death from a Miami high-rise this year.
Meanwhile, the world No. 3 is determined to improve her Cincinnati record.
“I’m trying to figure out what I need to do to get to the finals, but I don’t want to focus on that,” she said. “I want to take things step by step and try to bring my best tennis every time I’m on the court. If I do that, then I will be able to get that semi-final win.”
The top eight seeds waited for their opening opponents to emerge from first-round matches that filled the courts on Tuesday.
Ninth seed Daria Kastkina opened with a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Ekaterina Alexandrova, sending over six aces and breaking four times. The win came as a relief after first-round losses in Washington and last week in Toronto.
No. 15 Marta Kostyuk earned a 6-4, 2-6, 6-4 trip to the second round over Belgium’s Elise Mertens after nearly two-and-a-half hours and a dozen double faults.
“I don’t know how I won today,” the Ukrainian said. “A lot of things did not go my way.”
Karolina Pliskova, the tournament winner eight years ago, began her campaign 7-6 (7/2), 7-6 (7/3) over Bulgarian Viktorija Tomova, while France’s Varvara Gracheva put out Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/5).
Wimbledon quarter-finalist Lulu Sun, who had to qualify, reached the second round over Linda Noskova of the Czech Republic 6-4, 7-6 (7/4).
In the men’s singles, 12th seed Ben Shelton won a self-described “bot v bot” battle of serving as he held off returning Reilly Opelka 7-6 (7/3), 7-6 (7/3).
The towering Opelka, who missed two years with injury and is only now getting back to the tour, bombed 19 aces in his losing effort against his fellow American.
Shelton said he trained as best he could for the match by facing big serves from his father, former ATP player Bryan.
“It’s hard to replicate the angle of Reilly’s serve and how high it bounces,” Ben Shelton said. “I’ve never seen a ball come at me like that. Some of the serves he hits defy physics, but it’s good to see him coming back, even if he’s not at 100 percent yet. I’m pleased with how I was able to finish.”
Alex Michelsen of the US advanced over Dutchman Tallon Griekspoor 6-1, 5-7, 6-2.
China’s Zhang Zhizhen beat Giovanni Mpetishi Perricard of France 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), while Frances Tiafoe earned a home-soil win, beating Spain’s Alejandro Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6 (8/6).
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