Aryna Sabalenka confirmed in her US Open press conference that she needed some time off after her Wimbledon exit.
Sabalenka was enjoying a really good Wimbledon run for a while but then shockingly lost to Ons Jabeur. The defeat wasn't surprising in the sense that Jabeur couldn't beat her, but more in the way that it unfolded. She was in control, only two games away from winning that match and getting closer to the Wimbledon final.
The win would have also ensured her a number one debut however, she gave Jabeur a chance to come back, and the Tunisian took it. It was very similar to what happened against Karolina Muchova in Paris, and Sabalenka needed some time off after that.
Well, definitely I needed some time off, kind of like forget about tennis for a while, like few days at least, just to don't get super depressed.
I mean, I got a lot of experience. Winning tough matches, losing tough matches. What I learned in the past, all these matches, you're not losing them, you're learning to become stronger. I know that in the future these tough losses will help me to win some great matches.
Having a short memory is super important for tennis. Rallies happen all of the time, and you can't allow one rally to impact you in the next one. It's the same principle for matches; you need to forget them quickly so you can focus on the next one.
That's why I'm kind of like have this short memory. Okay, I lost, the lesson is learned, it's time to move on. I know this match will help me in the future.
We'll see how well she bounces back from the recent few losses in Montreal and Cincinnati. Doing so successfully is vital for her US Open chances.