Aryna Sabalenka will continue her rivalry with Ashleigh Barty when the 2022 Australian Open begins and the World No.2 is trying not to think about the Aussie's fan support on home soil.
Sabalenka is now a two-time Grand Slam semi-finalist and will look to fulfil her undoubted prowess but knows she may have to go through the World No.1 to do so.
"I played against her in Melbourne once and it was really tough," said the 23-year-old Belarusian.
"People support her really, really crazy, like crazy.
"But if it's going to happen, whatever. I don't care (because I'll be) in the final, I don't want to think about people supporting her."
"She's a great player, she can do everything on court and that's why she's No.1," she added.
"I always like to play matches against her, always great battles, huge fights.
"I would like to play against her like every week in the finals."
Samuel GillEditor-in-Chief
Samuel Gill is the Chief Content Officer (CCO) of TennisUpToDate.com, a role he has held since 2020. He is responsible for editorial governance across the platform, including setting content standards, overseeing accuracy and consistency, and guiding long-term editorial strategy. Since joining, he has contributed more than 10,000 articles and editorial pieces across the TennisUpToDate network, playing a central role in the daily operation and development of the site.
Based in Leicester, Samuel has a broad background in tennis media. In his current role, he works closely with editors and writers to ensure coverage meets clear journalistic standards, with particular attention to verification, consistency, and timely updates when new information becomes available.
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