"Don't know if it's safe for the body" - Aryna Sabalenka exercises caution as she looks forward to playing at Paris Olympics after new ITF permit

Aryna Sabalenka sounded cautious as she spoke about playing at the 2024 Paris Olympics during a press conference ahead of her first match at this year's Indian Wells Open.

On March 6, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) released a statement that said that Russian and Belarusian tennis players can compete at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics as neutrals. However, the players should conform to the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees' neutrality conditions.

"The ITF confirms that tennis players from these nations (Russia and Belarus) will be allowed to enter the Olympic and Paralympic tennis competitions in an individual and neutral capacity if they comply with the IOC's (International Olympic Committee's) AIN (Individual Neutral Athletes) and IPC's (International Paralympic Committee's) NPA (Neutral Paralympic Athletes) principles," a part of the statement read.

After the statement was released, Sabalenka was asked about her views on competing at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The reigning Australian Open champion said she was looking forward to playing at the prestigious event. However, she also exercised caution as she cited the demands of another grueling tennis season.

"It's a tough schedule and everything is super tight and super close. It's just crazy, we like, go clay, grass, back on clay, I don't know if it's safe for the body. I'm super happy to play Olympics and hopefully, physically, mentally, I'll be ready to compete there," Aryna Sabalenka said during a press conference ahead of her Round of 64 match at the Indian Wells Open (3:00).

Aryna Sabalenka would be hoping to improve at Indian Wells after a disastrous Dubai campaign

Aryna Sabalenka at the 2024 Dubai Tennis Championships

After the high of winning the Australian Open for the second successive year, Sabalenka had a reality check at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Seeded second at the WTA 1000 tournament, the World No. 2 received a first-round bye and started her Dubai campaign in the Round of 32 against Donna Vekic.

Sabalenka went into the match as the overwhelming favorite and won the first set 7-6(5). However, Vekic turned the tables on the two-time Grand Slam winner, winning the second and third sets 6-3 and 6-0. The Croatian broke the Belarusian seven times and won 12 out of the last 13 games.

Following her unexpected exit from Dubai, Sabalenka said the conditions didn't suit her playing style.

"I feel the conditions here don't fit me well at all. It's really tricky for me to compete here in Dubai. A really tricky court to me." she said in her post-match interview (via Sky Sports).

Aryna Sabalenka starts her Indian Wells Open campaign on March 9. She will face the winner of the Round of 128 match between Elisabetta Cocciaretto and Peyton Stearns.