"It's not the perfect conditions for the WTA Finals" - Aryna Sabalenka echoes Elena Rybakina's concerns about windy weather in Cancun
Aryna Sabalenka has joined Elena Rybakina in raising concerns about the windy weather conditions in Cancun, Mexico which will impact the quality of play at the 2023 WTA Finals.
The year-end championships have been beset with controversy due to delays in the construction of the stadium and challenging windy weather conditions bothering the players during practice.
Ahead of the tournament's commencement on October 29, the Belarusian acknowledged the suboptimal weather in the costal Mexican city. However, she also expressed her determination to deliver her best tennis regardless.
"Well, I'm trying my best to adapt to these conditions. Hopefully tomorrow I'll play my best tennis. But yeah, I mean, we all in the same conditions. It's not easy one. It's not the perfect conditions for the WTA Finals. But it is how it is. I'll do my best to show my best tennis here," she said during a pre-tournament press conference.
Aryna Sabalenka's comments mirrored the concerns voiced by Elena Rybakina during her press conference.
"But it is what it is. I guess we're going to try to do our best to show good tennis, which is not going to be I think that easy with such a windy conditions. But overall, I mean, Mexico is really nice. Yeah, I think we just try to do our best here," Rybakina said.
Aryna Sabalenka and Elena Rybakina drawn in same group for WTA Finals 2023
Top seed Aryna Sabalenka has been drawn into the Bacalar group at the 2023 WTA Finals, alongside Elena Rybakina, Jessica Pegula and Maria Sakkari. The other four contenders, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Ons Jabeur and Marketa Vondrousova, will fight it out in the Chetumal group.
Sabalenka leads 4-2 in her head-to-head against Rybakina. The pair have faced each other three times this season, with the Belarusian claiming victory in the Australian Open final. However, it was the Kazakh who emerged victorious in their two most recent encounters, at the WTA 1000 events in Beijing and Indian Wells.
The World No. 1 also enjoys a dominant 4-1 record against Pegula and a 6-3 record against Sakkari. Sabalenka will commence her campaign against Sakkari. Rybakina, meanwhile, square off against Pegula in her tournament opener.
During the press conference, Sabalenka acknowledged the formidable competition she faced in the group stage and expressed her excitement for the challenge ahead.
"Well, it's a tough group. Whoever would be in my group, it would not be easy players to play against. It's top eight players, the best players of the year. Yeah, I played a lot of matches against all of them. It's always great battles. So I'm really interesting, actually really excited, to play. Yeah, just can't wait to start playing," Aryna Sabalenka said.