"If people support my opponent what can I do about that?" - Aryna Sabalenka unfazed by lack of support from Wimbledon crowd
Aryna Sabalenka has brushed aside the lack of support from fans during her 2023 Wimbledon Championships semifinal defeat to Ons Jabeur.
Jabeur came from set down to beat Sabalenka in two hours and 19 minutes on Thursday to reach her third career Grand Slam final. With a 6-7(5), 6-4, 6-3 win, the Tunisian became the first woman since Serena Williams (2018 and 2019) to reach back-to-back finals at SW19.
During the semifinal match, fans were extremely vocal in supporting Jabeur. When she lost the first set tie-break and trailed in the contest, they gave the World No. 3 strength in her comeback bid. Jabeur acknowledged the same in her on-court interview, thanking the fans for giving her the confidence to stay focused.
When asked about her opponent getting the lion's share of fans' support, Sabalenka stated that it was something she expected. The Belarusian went on to add that she can't do anything if the crowd support her opponent.
"Well, I mean, I expect that. I knew that they going to support her more. I'm fine with that. If people support my opponent, what can I do about that? I'm focusing on myself. I know there is a lot of people watching on TV supporting me. I have my family. I have my team. That's enough for me," she said in her post-match press conference.
Despite the defeat, Sabalenka expressed satisfaction with her performance and how her season has played out so far.
She began 2023 with her maiden Grand Slam title win at the Australian Open. In the two subsequent Majors, the French Open and Wimbledon, Sabalenka made semifinal exits.
"It's definitely one of the best years so far. I mean, I can't complain about my results this year, to be honest. The far you go, the more you want. It's still tough to, yeah, recover after these kind of matches," she added.
"She played unbelievable tennis" - Aryna Sabalenka praises Ons Jabeur after Wimbledon semifinal defeat
Despite finding herself just two games from defeat against Aryna Sabalenka, Ons Jabeur stayed calm and composed to come through the contest in three sets. With her wins over Elena Rybakina, Petra Kvitova, and Sabalenka at SW19 this fortnight, Jabeur became the first woman to defeat three top 10 players at Wimbledon since Serena Williams in 2012.
Sabalenka saved four match points to stay in the semifinal contest and frustrate Jabeur. Then, on her fifth match point, the Tunisian sealed the win with an ace.
Looking back at the match in her press conference, Sabalenka admitted that she wasn't at her best and praised Jabeur for giving it her all and coming out victorious.
"She got the opportunity, she took it. I was little bit emotionally down, then she was up. She was just going for some crazy shots, which is I would say normally she wouldn't put it in. I didn't serve my best today. She was able to play on my serve. She was serving better," she stated.
"Overall I didn't play my best tennis today. She just played really I would say not fast but low and sometimes I didn't expect that much lines. I mean, she played unbelievable tennis," Sabalenka added.
Jabeur will face unseeded Marketa Vondrousova of Czech Republic in the Wimbledon final on Saturday.