“I don’t really see how it connects”: Aryna Sabalenka responds to questions on diamonds and prize money messaging after Roland Garros win

Aryna Sabalenka’s opening-round win at Roland Garros was quickly framed by questions over her on-court image and jewellery choices, as the World No. 1 addressed repeated references to her appearance following a 6-4, 6-2 victory over Jessica Bouzas Maneiro in Paris.

The world No. 1, who hit 29 winners but also produced 25 unforced errors in a high-risk baseline performance, was drawn into a post-match discussion that extended beyond tennis, focusing on her use of black attire and multiple necklaces in hot conditions at Roland Garros.

Now holding a 23-8 career record at the tournament, Sabalenka continues her pursuit of a first Grand Slam title outside hard courts, with her consistency in majors reflected in 12 semifinal appearances across her last 13 Slam events.

“I’m super happy to be through. I feel like it was a tricky first-round opponent,” she said in press conference. “I’m happy with the level I played, happy with the fight I brought, and just happy to be through this first-round match.”

The post-match press conference in Roland Garros centred heavily on Sabalenka’s on-court presentation, particularly her decision to compete in black attire and wear jewellery in high temperatures. She was asked whether she really felt comfortable with the outfit she used in her opening round, which included a black dress and two necklaces.

“I don’t like to take it easy. I like to challenge myself,” she began saying. “At the same time, the dress is super light. I don’t feel the dress on me. I thought it was going to be super hot wearing black, but it doesn’t feel like black on me, so I feel pretty comfortable.”

“And the diamonds, I don’t really feel the heaviness of them, but I can imagine how it looks from the outside. Actually, there was supposed to be a third necklace, but I thought it was probably too much, so I decided to keep it to just two.”

The four-time Grand Slam champion also returned to the discussion around prize money distribution at Grand Slams, after a journalist raised comparisons between her calls for increased prize money and her use of expensive jewellery on court, suggesting a possible contradiction in her stance.

“I don’t really see how it’s possible to connect those two completely different things,” the Belarusian said. “As I said before, prize money is not about me at all. It’s about fighting for players, especially lower-ranked players who are really struggling to survive in the tennis world. It has nothing to do with me personally fighting for prize money. Everyone knows that I’m okay.”

“We’re fighting for a fair percentage of the revenues, and also for lower-ranked players, players coming back from injuries, and the next generation to be more comfortable coming into the top level. So it’s not about me.”

While much of the attention centred on off-court narrative, Sabalenka also reflected briefly on her competitive position after a straight-sets opening win. The performance followed a familiar pattern: high winner output combined with elevated error count, consistent with her aggressive baseline identity.

She also addressed Iga Swiatek’s position in the draw, maintaining her assessment of the Polish player as one of the key contenders in Paris. “Of course, always. She’s such a great player,” she commented on the four-time Roland Garros champion. “I love to see that she’s always open to new things, bringing in a new coach and trying to find what worked really well for her before.”

“Maybe she felt a little lost, but I can see that she’s getting better, improving, and getting back on track. Of course, I always consider her one of the favourites.”