I’ve always been told this surface wasn’t for me," admits Sabalenka, reaching her first Roland-Garros final

World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka managed to end Iga Swiatek’s 26-match winning streak at Roland-Garros.

In Saturday’s final, the Belarusian will face her closest rival, Coco Gauff, in a rematch of the WTA 1000 Madrid final. Before fully focusing on this showdown, Sabalenka spoke at a press conference, reflecting on her progress on clay:

"I’m really proud to have beaten Iga at Roland-Garros, to have won such a tough match. For my team and me, winning this title would be fantastic. I’ve always been told this surface wasn’t for me. I didn’t have much confidence on it in the past. But in recent years, we’ve really developed my game.

I’ve improved physically because on clay, it’s essential to be strong to reach every ball. I’ve also worked on topspin. I wouldn’t say drop shots and slices are perfectly suited to this surface—they work better on grass—but it seems to be effective. I have a wider variety of shots now: I can hit flat, add spin, and also defend.

I feel much more comfortable on clay. I enjoy playing on this surface, and winning this trophy for us would be amazing. I’m ready for this final and prepared to fight for every point, to do whatever it takes to win.