Aryna Sabalenka has described her tennis schedule as “insane” and stated she dangers paying fines if she misses tournaments to keep away from harm or burnout.
However these worries apart, the world’s top-ranked athlete is joyful to have the ability to play as many matches as potential earlier than the season-opening Grand Slam in Australia.
Sabalenka defeated Sorana Cirstea 6-3, 6-3 on Thursday to advance to the Brisbane Worldwide quarter-finals, the place she is going to face fifth-seeded Madison Keys for the primary time in virtually a yr since dropping within the Australian Open ultimate.
After defeating Cirstea, Sabalenka was requested if, because the No. 1 participant, she would attempt to handle her schedule like Serena Williams generally did.
“Properly, this season is unquestionably loopy, and whenever you see a variety of gamers are injured, it isn’t good for all of us,” Sabalenka stated. “What Serena did was towards the principles. Now, identical to final season, by the top of the season she will probably be given factors as a effective as a result of she did not play sufficient 500 (stage) occasions.”
Sabalenka stated that whereas “the principles are very troublesome” on the subject of necessary occasions, she nonetheless plans to overlook some occasions “to guard myself.”
“The outcomes had been very constant, however among the tournaments I used to be taking part in I’d get utterly sick or I’d overplay and get actually exhausted,” she stated. “So I’ll attempt to handle it a bit bit higher this season.”
Sabalenka began 2025 with a victory in Brisbane and ended it with a runner-up end on the WTA Finals in November. She competed in 16 tournaments and had a document of 63 wins and 12 losses, culminating in her Battle of the Sexes match towards Nick Kyrgios that yr. She was named WTA Participant of the Yr for the second yr in a row, becoming a member of Williams and Iga Swiatek in profitable this honor for the previous 25 consecutive years.
Sabalenka criticized the size of the season, however stated a powerful attract Brisbane made it a great prelude to the Australian Open.
“Having (so many) prime gamers within the draw undoubtedly makes us higher ready for the Australian Open,” Sabalenka stated. “It is essential to have high quality matches to be mentally ready for a match or a battle.
“I prefer to problem myself. I prefer to put up battle, particularly in direction of the Grand Slams.”
Keys, whose left leg was closely taped, rallied from a set and a breakdown to defeat No. 12 seed Diana Schneider 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4) on Thursday.
“It is all the time good to begin the yr with a bit little bit of drama,” Keys stated in a postgame interview after taking part in three hours on the courtroom. “I am glad I did not get in your method.”
Keys has solely performed in two video games since dropping within the first spherical of the US Open, so he will probably be trying to get sufficient time on courtroom earlier than defending his title on the Australian Open, which begins on January 18th. Her profession breakthrough within the majors got here at the price of Sabalenka’s bid for a 3rd consecutive Australian Open title.
On Thursday, Keys bought extra time on the courtroom than anticipated with three tiebreaks, a medical timeout after the second tiebreak to tape the highest of his left leg, and a 3rd set that lasted 69 minutes.
The American missed two match factors within the tenth sport of the third set, however made certain he made it within the decisive tiebreak. His Australian profitable streak continued, with titles at Adelaide and Melbourne Park in 2025.
“It is all the time a bit nerve-wracking coming again,” Keys stated. “It is solely been about 4 weeks since I final performed, however I am all the time simply attempting to get my ft moist once more and discover a good stage. With the ability to win a sport within the first week is all the time crucial.”
Sabalenka stated she sees the quarterfinal match towards Keys much less as an opportunity for revenge and extra as an opportunity to enhance her sport.
“As all the time, it may be an amazing battle. It is going to be actually aggressive tennis,” Sabalenka stated. “I am trying ahead to assembly her nose to nose.”
The winner will advance to the semi-finals and face third seed Elena Rybakina, who defeated fifteenth seed Paula Badosa 6-3, 6-2, or eleventh seed Karolina Muchova, who defeated seventh seed Ekaterina Alexandrova 6-4, 7-5.
The Related Press contributed to this report.
