World number one Aryna Sabalenka has been preparing for Wimbledon after her heartbreaking French Open final loss.
Sabalenka, a three-time Grand Slam champion, lost 7-6 2-6 4-6 to Coco Gauff in the French Open final. She said it was the ‘worst final I ever played.’
Since that result, Sabalenka made the semi-finals of the Berlin Grass Court Championships before losing to former Wimbledon champion Marketa Vondrousova.
As part of her Wimbledon preparations, Sabalenka took the time to practise with other notable Grand Slam champions from the ATP Tour.
Aryna Sabalenka feels ‘thankful’ after practising with Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon
Speaking at a press conference ahead of her first-round match at Wimbledon, Sabalenka spoke of the honest advice Novak Djokovic gave her when they practiced together.
Sabalenka said: “Novak is the best, you know. First of all, I was able to hit with him, which is also not [what] every guy would be able to do, and then you can chat with him, he will give his honest advice and it’s amazing to hear the opinion of such a legend.
“So we were just chatting about stuff that I’m kind of like, struggling a little bit, and I’m really thankful for the advice he gave me.
“And it was, yeah, it was like 30 minutes chat, you know, like, if you give opportunity for Novak to talk, he’s not gonna stop. I wish I could stay there for hours and just keep chatting, but yeah, we all have our schedule.
Djokovic, who recently gave his opinion on the now-settled tension between Sabalenka and Coco Gauff following the French Open final, is looking to win a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon title.
Meanwhile, Sabalenka is looking to win her first Wimbledon crown and her fourth Grand Slam title in total.
Sabalenka spoke about practising with Jannik Sinner, saying she was ‘exhausted’ after hitting with the Italian.
She said: “And honestly hitting with the guys, it’s just another level of intensity, and it’s just cool to see, yeah, cool to see their level, you know, and honestly, I hit with Jannik for like, I don’t know, 10 minutes.
“I was exhausted. I was like, ‘oh my God.’ I don’t know. It’s just like another level.
“And then an hour with Novak, you know, now I’m recovered. I need like a day of recovery. But it was a great experience.
“And, you know, when you see on that side, someone like Jannik or Novak, you know, you learn from them, you, like, you reflect what they do on court, and it was great for me.”
Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff post TikTok dance on Instagram
All tensions after the French Open final appear to have been quelled after Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff practiced together at Wimbledon.
The pair had exchanged a war of words after the French Open final, with Sabalenka claiming Iga Swiatek would have beaten Coco Gauff had she made the final. Sabalenka later apologised for her post-match remarks.
Sabalenka and Gauff’s relationship appears to have gone from strength to strength, with the pair posting a joint TikTok dance on Instagram – dancing on a Wimbledon court.
Sabalenka is set to open her Wimbledon account on Monday against Canadian Carson Branstine, while Gauff will play on Tuesday against Ukrainian Dayana Yastremska.
