"Iga Swiatek is much better on clay, Elena Rybakina is better on grass; I'm a little better on hard court" - Aryna Sabalenka

Aryna Sabalenka recently commented on the strengths of fellow players Iga Swiatek and Elena Rybakina, stating that Swiatek excels on clay surfaces while Rybakina shines on grass courts. Sabalenka acknowledged that her proficiency lies on hard courts.

Sabalenka, Swiatek, and Ryabkina are currently in Rome to compete at the 2024 Italian Open. All three of them will begin their campaign in the second round after receiving first-round byes.

Sabalenka will face either qualifier Katie Volynets or Wang Yafan in her opening match, while Swiatek will take on American Bernarda Pera. Defending champion Rybakina will start her campaign against either Irina-Camelia Begu or Rebeka Masarova.

During the pre-tournament press conference, Aryna Sabalenka stated that among the three of them, Iga Swiatek is a superior clay court player, Rybakina excels on grass courts, and she herself is a hard court specialist.

Swiatek has clinched four Grand Slam titles, three of which were on clay, at the French Open. Rybakina has one Grand Slam title, secured on grass at the Wimbledon Championships, while Sabalenka has won two singles Grand Slam titles, both on hard courts at the Australian Open.

"Well, I mean, obviously Iga [Swiatek] is much better on clay than me, for example. I would say Elena [Rybakina] is better on grass. I'm maybe a little bit better on hard court," Sabalenka said.

Sabalenka stated that surface type is not always the determining factor, as all three of them are capable of defeating each other on any surface.

"At the same time I cannot say that it's all about the surface. I mean, as the time shows, I can beat them on clay, on hard, on grass. It's not about the surface, I would say. It's about honestly in each match couple of key moments where, like, probably she played better," she added.

The World No. 2 then reflected on her recent match against Iga Swiatek, the final of the 2024 Madrid Open. Despite it being a clay court tournament, Sabalenka felt she was evenly matched with the Pole and came close to winning the match and ultimately the title.

"For example, last match with Iga [Swiatek], I wouldn't say on those important points I did something wrong, it's just I was doing the right thing, but she was doing it better little bit. It's just about little things," Sabalenka said.

Aryna Sabalenka also stated that playing on different surfaces and learning from the mistakes is a "process."

"It's not about the surface. It's a process. You learn from that little mistakes you made during the match, then you go and work on them, you try better next time. It's just little improvements, like little percentage better every day. Hope for the better result," she added.

Aryna Sabalenka: "Every time I'm on the court, I bring my best tennis"

Aryna Sabalenka

At the aforementioned press conference, Aryna Sabalenka was asked whether she, Iga Swiatek, and Elena Rybakina considered themselves superior to other players on the WTA Tour.

In response, Sabalenka stated that she does not dwell on comparisons, but rather focuses on her performance. She conveyed her belief that she, Swiatek, and Rybakina have showcased consistency since the previous year

"I don't know, it's tough to say. I mean, I'm not trying to focus on that honestly. I know we have some rivals, meaning like me, Iga [Swiatek] and Elena [Rybakina]. We're doing maybe more consistent, play more consistently past years. Maybe last year and this year so far," Aryna Sabalenka said.

Aryna Sabalenka also said that her primary goal every time she steps on a tennis court is to deliver her best performance and strive to maintain her position in the top 3 rankings.

"I'm focusing on myself and making sure that every time I'm on the court I bring my best tennis and hope that I'll still be there in that top three players, yeah. Yeah, that's it," she added.