Aryna Sabalenka says that her win over Peyton Stearns was one of the craziest of her career and also the best as she was matched by the incredible American sealing it narrowly 6-7, 6-2, 7-6 and saving four match points at Indian Wells.
The match of the tournament so far, it certainly delivered in the drama stakes and is one that Sabalenka won't forget as she lauded Stearns post match and she said that she had to remain calm, composed and know the opportunity would come and she took it.
She also spoke on court and said that Stearns said at the net she had her and that she agreed and she embodied her tattoo of a tiger on court. True grit from the Australian Open champion.
“Well, this match was really crazy, and I really think it was a super high-level match. She played incredible tennis. I kept telling myself, ‘Stay there, fight for every point. You never know what's going to happen. Probably this is the match for a crazy comeback,’ and I did it. I'm super happy that I didn't give up on that score, and I was really pushing myself hard, even though I didn't play my best tennis and she was crushing it like crazy. I was just trying to stay in the game and keep fighting for every point. But this match definitely goes into the book of craziest matches and the best matches of my career," said Sabalenka in her post match press conference.
“I think I was right when I did this tattoo of a tiger. I was fighting today like a tiger.… she actually told me at the net ‘I had you’ and she was right," she also quipped in her post match interview on court.
“This was just a crazy match. I had to work super hard to get this win. It’s definitely a magic place. Magic just happened to me. I have no words right now. I don’t know what to say. It’s just crazy. I wanted to win this match really badly, to come back, & enjoy this atmosphere one more time.”